


Try My Luck

by kibouin



Series: No Metaverse A/B/O [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alpha Makoto, Alpha Ryuji, Alpha/Alpha, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega/Alpha, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Attempted Sexual Assault, Beta Ann, Getting Together, M/M, Mates, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Multi, No Metaverse (Persona 5), Omega Akira, Omega Mishima, POV Multiple, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Rating May Change, alpha yusuke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-28
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-02-07 22:26:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 43,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12850803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kibouin/pseuds/kibouin
Summary: "His entire existence was a lie."An unfortunate incident forced Kurusu Akira to become what he wasn't. He enjoyed living the lie, until the future he always dreamed of moved even further out of his reach. With nothing left to lose, maybe there was no longer a reason to hide?





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a simple prompt from the personakinkmeme.  
> "Omega!Akira in heat. Pls, I don't care about pairings (some guy as his partner would be nice but I REALLY don't care). If you want he can even go through this solo! I just want Akira as an omega" 
> 
> It grew legs and a plot, and now I'm not even sure what it is anymore ~~; might not even have an on-screen "heat" scene~~. Anyhow. My first time writing anything ABO. Title is courtesy of B.A.P.'s "Try My Luck" (after looking over the lyrics, it sorta fits the fic?)

Kurusu Akira adjusted the high collar of the Shujin winter sweater, straightening out any creases. It was a temporary fix, unless he planned to keep his neck as stiff as a pole, but he had to uphold the appearance of a well-behaved student.  Satisfied, Akira grabbed his school bag and headed downstairs, where breakfast awaited him. His guardian greeted him with a gruff "mornin'", sliding a plate of curry across the counter.

Akira slid into the seat in front of the plate, offered his thanks for the meal, and began eating. "Where's Morgana?" he asked after swallowing a mouthful. The seat designated to the family cat was empty.

Sojiro glanced towards the end of the counter as he lit a cigarette. "Out hunting, I suppose. Maybe he made it to Ginza."

Akira grinned. Morgana _did_ love his sushi. He finished his meal, bid Sakura Sojiro goodbye, and walked out of the cafe. " _Flip the sign_!" was shouted at his back. Akira did as he was told; as he had been doing for almost three years now. He sometimes wondered why Sojiro still voiced the request, but it was probably just as routine as the act itself. Hoisting his school case high, he began the trip to Shujin.

 **—**  

Akira hurriedly disembarked the crowded train and headed up the stairs to the Underground Walkway. From there, it was to the Square, where he was to make another transfer. This was where his adventures sometimes became something more than a droll routine.

" _A-ki-ra_!"

Today was one of those days. Akira braced himself for the incoming impact, not expecting to be tackled. A strong arm wound around his midsection, holding him upright, as the culprit laughed heartily in his ear. "Yo!" The newcomer's grin was almost as blinding as his hair. Sakamoto Ryuji released his victim, looping his arm around Akira's shoulder instead. "How's my best friend doin'?"

"I might be suffering from a dislocated spine? You know you're an Alpha, right?"

Ryuji sneered. "That's just a label. What I know is... you're weak. Even after a year of training." He angled his body closer to Akira's, sneaking through the gate with him while the station attendant was distracted with another passenger.

Akira hid his smirk, shaking his head. "It's a free pass."

"Saving that tap for a special day," Ryuji told him.

The usual assertiveness was gone from his voice and Akira chanced a glance to see that the blond looked hopeful. This so-called “special day” was obviously important to him. "I hope you get to tap that pass."

Ryuji's wide eyes were visible only for a second, before he doubled over in uncontrollable, roaring laughter. Akira looked sheepish as he held the blond's shoulders to help him keep his balance. Luckily, Ryuji's fit passed right in time for the transit's arrival. Akira guided them into the crowded car, keeping his arm around the blond's waist. His free hand rose to take hold of the overhead rung.

The last of Ryuji's giggles wore off and the blond settled comfortably against his friend. He began talking about an upcoming meet, and that they needed to train together again in preparation. Akira thanked the heavens he had no reaction to Ryuji's scent, but that did nothing to stop the normal reaction of being so close to his " _crush_ ". A juvenile word, but " _love interest_ " made him sound like he lived in a romance novel.

When they arrived at Shujin, they unfortunately had to parts ways. Different homerooms meant they couldn't drive the faculty insane. Akira entered his classroom, eyes immediately seeking out Mishima Yuuki. He'd inadvertently rescued the petite Omega from a fate worse than death. Every day, he made sure a smile greeted him. Mishima lifted his head, looking away from his phone long enough to grin at Akira.

Takamaki Ann, a mated Beta, watched him with calculating eyes as he made his way to their row. She turned in her chair after he claimed the desk behind her, propping her head up with a cheeky smile. "You plan on telling him yet? I can tell by your dopey grin that you saw him this morning. That, and the rumor mill works faster than you two walk."

Akira rolled his eyes as he sank into his chair. For a school that tried to uphold its supposed reputation, Shujin was a decomposing mess on the inside. After an act that brought the police and media to the school's front door, Akira was labeled as a pariah. Several students still engaged in conversation with him, but most shunned or ignored him. He would have been barred from the school _library_ if the Student Council President hadn’t stepped in.

Akira shook the memories away, not wanting to lose himself in the past. Ann looked expectantly at him, a slim eyebrow arched questioningly. "No," the brunet sighed. "I…" Akira had no idea how to finish that statement. Anything that came out of his mouth would be a lie. His entire existence was a lie.

Ann pressed on, "Look at me and Makoto. I never thought it would be possible. Never thought I'd end up with someone I used to see as the enemy. You and Ryuji are inseparable, so no one will blink twice."

The door opened and Kawakami walked in, signaling classes would be beginning soon.

"Just drop it," Akira mumbled, reaching into his school case to retrieve his notes. Ann sighed, but obeyed, turning back around so she faced the front of the classroom. 

**xxx**

With no after school activities, Akira decided to head home for the afternoon after bidding his friends "later". Ryuji was already practicing with the track club, so there was no need to bother him. Sojiro gave him an acknowledging nod when he entered the cafe, returning his attention to the task of brewing coffee.

Akira eased himself between the bar seats and leaned against the counter. "Can I help today?" he inquired in a hushed voice.

Before the shop's owner could reply, Leblanc's patrons answered for him. "You should,” a business woman stated from the booth behind the teen. “Boss's curry is the best, but I enjoy Akira- _kun_ 's as well."

"Especially when he gets crazy with the spices," another laughed. Even Morgana added his opinion with a long meow. The handful of regular customers knew of the white-booted, black cat. He was a well-trained boy, so no one worried or mulled over his presence in Leblanc. There was even a special chair just for him.

Akira's grin stretched across his face; the gleam in his eyes meant he knew he had already won. Sojiro exhaled deeply, "Fine. Hurry and change." Akira wiggled free of the chairs, stopping to acknowledge each of their customers with a polite bow, before dashing upstairs.

Since Sojiro currently brewed the coffee, he gave Akira the job of making a fresh pot of curry. The teen decided not to go crazy with his experimentation, but he still added ingredients that he knew a few customers would enjoy.

When the last guest left for the evening, Akira shared himself a plate of curry and took it to the counter. A cup of coffee was waiting for him and he could tell it was a Blue Mountain blend with the slightest inhale. Akira gave thanks for his meal and helped himself. If he told him out loud, Sojiro would deny it and brush him off, but ever since coming here, his life made a 180 turn, and he felt more at home above Leblanc than he had living in his parents' house. Speaking of, it was going on almost two months without contact.

Sojiro turned off the faucet. He picked up the nearby towel and dried his hands. "What're you thinking about?" he asked.

"My past," Akira replied after taking a sip of the hot liquid. He enjoyed the way the heat worked its way through his body, warming him as it traveled. He smiled, languid. "And how it has nothing on my present."

"Sentimental brat," the cafe owner scoffed. The faint hint of a smile gave him away. "Hurry up and go to the bathhouse." Akira complied, clearing his plate of food and chasing it with warm coffee. He was still letting his tongue cool as he dashed downstairs, out the cafe, and across the street.

Akira enjoyed soaking in the baths as much as the next person. The old man that loved searing hot water was absent, so Akira set the temperature to something agreeable and sank into the water until just his shoulders were covered. As comforting situations liked to do, the memories he brushed while enjoying dinner rose to the surface. Sojiro claimed his parents still loved him—" _They're very busy_." Busy, yes. They were also probably very relieved to get rid of him so they didn’t have to look after something that would always attract attention. To them, he was just another burden. 

Akira dunked himself beneath the water, focusing all his thoughts on not drowning. When he resurfaced, he stood from the hot water and made his way out of the bath, soak completed.

 

Sojiro removed his apron once the boy walked through the door, folding and storing it. He gave Akira a heavy pat on the shoulder; a wordless, cautious warning.

When his guardian walked through the door and flipped the sign to "close", Akira locked every lock. Morgana was missing, which meant he would somehow find his way to the Sakura household. Akira rather enjoyed the cat's company, even when he woke and found himself being smothered by said cat. He made his way up to his room, made sure his window was shut and secured, and took a seat at the edge of his bed.

Akira reached behind his neck, nails catching on the invisible edge of plastic. He pinched it between his fingers and pulled. The transparent square was crushed, crumpled, and disposed of. Akira wiped down the back of his neck with an alcohol pad and tossed that as well. He pushed aside the covers to lie down, pulling them back to cover himself from head to toe. 

* * *

Akira woke to his phone blaring the opening song of _Phoenix Ranger Featherman R_ ; a Sakura Futaba specialty warning. Ryuji was coming. He stumbled out of bed and to the desk where he kept his scent blockers. Akira hurriedly opened a packet and pressed it down on the back of his neck, afraid to remove his hand.

Ryuji darkened the door of Leblanc, grinning once the owner acknowledged his presence. He was beckoned in, only to stop after he opened the door. It wasn't Sojiro's murderous glare that froze him in place, but rather the sudden recollection that there was something he needed to do. Ryuji excused himself, closing the door after he stepped out. He was gone only a few minutes before he returned with drinks from the vending machine near the bathhouse.

"Kids these days have no respect,” Sojiro grumbled. He faced the stairs to shout in their direction. "Akira! Hurry up! You have an escort."

Ryuji took a seat at the bar, his school bag in the chair to the right of him, and popped the tab on one of his soda cans. Morgana lifted his head with an inquisitive mewl and Ryuji's drink went forgotten. "Mona!" He jumped down, heading for the cat's personal perch, and scooped the black feline into his arms. Morgana pushed at the blond head with one white paw, leaning away in the opposite direction. "Mona! I thought you loved me...!" Ryuji whined as he tried to press his face against Morgana's.

"You'll need another bath, and maybe some bandages for your scratches." Akira walked down the stairs at that moment, distracting Ryuji enough that Morgana could escape. The black cat bolted past Akira, disappearing upstairs.

Ryuji combed his fingers through his hair, grinning at his friend. "Yo! I woke up early so I decided to come get you."

Akira rolled his eyes. "How considerate. I'm sure you plan to sneak through the gates with me as well."

"Gotta save that tap," Ryuji laughed, reclaiming his previous seat at the counter. Akira sat beside him, a small smile on his face as he remembered yesterday. He buried the slight hope that that "tap" was for him, and enjoyed the plate of curry set before him. 

 **xxx**  
  
Akira never thought his whole worldview would be shattered with just one simple sentence.

" _I finally saw Sakamoto's mate_!"

Akira stalled in packing his school case, lifting his head slowly to not draw attention to himself. Ann caught his eye, but they both remained subtle in their eavesdropping.

" _So what? Some plain chick, I'm sure. This is Sakamoto we're talking about_."

" _No! It's a guy... A gorgeous guy. But..._ "

Akira gripped the handle of his bag tightly, wishing the idiot would spill the beans rather than keep up dramatic pretenses.

" _He's an alpha_ ," was finally whispered.

The entire classroom fell deathly silent. Not much of a whisper. Sakamoto Ryuji, an Alpha. Was mated to another Alpha.

Akira sank into his chair, fingers tangled in his hair as he tried to process the information. Alphas didn't mate with other Alphas. It was taboo. The rumors were only going to get worse. Jumping up, he grabbed his school case and made a hasty exit, unapologetic of anyone in his way. Where was he headed? What drove him? Jealousy? Envy. Someone—another _Alpha_ had taken the one thing he wanted most in this half-baked world.

Akira reached up to the back of his neck, scratching at the patch he wore. How could anyone like him if he didn't like himself first? 

**xxx**

Sojiro took pity on him and let him assist in the cafe. Akira brewed coffee until evening rolled in and the last customer walked out.

Feeling weighed down by an invisible pressure, Akira scraped the scent blocking patch from his neck and stuffed it into his pocket to dispose of in his room. Sojiro was never one for comforting words, but he knew how to show his approval. He gave the boy praise for a job well done with a gentle pat to the head. The heavy hand was comforting, and Akira allowed himself a soft rumble of a purr.

"I know you just took it off, but those blockers will be useless if you act like this in public," the man sighed, drawing his hand back to cross both arms over his chest.

"...sorry," Akira whispered, ducking his head.

Sojiro stared at the thin teen, practically folded in on himself now, and breathed heavily through his nose. "No need to apologize for something you have no control over. Just... be careful."

"Yes," Akira responded, his voice even softer than before. "Except... I plan to stop using the patches."

Sojiro arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yeah." Akira drew himself upright, smiling at the cafe owner. "What happened in the past... I won't let it happen again. Thanks to you and Futaba... hopefully, it won't."

Sojiro gave him a lopsided smile before uncrossing his arms and pointing at the small cup of coffee. "Finish that and then clean up. Make sure you lock up behind me." 

Once Sojiro donned his hat and left, Akira did as he was told, locking up behind his guardian first. He emptied his cup of the remaining coffee, and got to work on clearing the sink of its few dishes. Once everything looked spic and span, Akira slowly climbed the steps to his room. His earlier declaration came back to haunt him and he lifted a hand to his neck, fingers brushing over the naked skin. Was he doing the right thing? Only time would tell.

* * *

Sojiro's attention shifted from the morning news to the boy walking down the attic stairs. Akira walked with confidence, but exuded nothing but nervousness. "You don't have to—"

"I do," the brunet cut in. "I can't hide all my life, and Japan has yet to invent a procedure to remove secondary genders."

Sojiro chuckled softly. "That's true." His smile vanished just as quickly, replaced with a stern frown. "If anyone tries anything—"

"Lock myself away and call you immediately." Futaba was the one in charge of tracking his heats, and had yet to inform him of one. With a shaky smile, Akira gripped the handles of his school case tighter and walked past the counter to the door. "Flip the sign," he recited before he could be told. With that minor task complete, it was time to start the real adventure.

**—**

The last person he wanted to see met him at Aoyama. Akira had to deal with two train molesters and a very bold salaryman that propositioned him outside the Teikyu building. How Ryuji managed to find him in a sea of students wearing identical uniforms was beyond his comprehension. An arm was slung around his neck, only to slowly fall away. Akira peeked out from beneath his fringe and was met with a wide-eyed blond. "Surpri—"

"What the hell, dude?" Ryuji failed at keeping his voice below a whisper, but it wasn’t loud enough to draw attention. Not yet. He wrapped his arm back around the brunet's neck and kept him pressed close against his side as they began moving. "Why aren't you wearing your blockers?"

Now it was Akira's turn to be dumbfounded as he stumbled along. "You—"

"Of course I knew, dumbass. I figured if you wanted to hide your gender, that's your business, not mine." With their close proximity, Ryuji felt the shudder ripple through Akira's body. Craning his neck, he realized the other teen was crying. There was no sound, but the tears flowed steadily, and he smelled of distress. "Shit. Akira! Stop... stop crying. People will think I'm abusing you. Think happy thoughts!"

"I _am_ happy," Akira sniffled, using his free hand to wipe at his eyes. "I thought you would treat me differently... if you knew."

Ryuji stopped walking, forcing Akira to do the same. He had to resist the urge to resort to a physical reprimand—station attendants were already watching them suspiciously—and settled for a disappointed glare. "That actually hurts, y'know. I'm not a dumb Alpha. I respect Omegas. And you're my friend, idiot." Apparently, that was the “wrong” thing to say, since more tears began falling. Ryuji made a quick decision to drag Akira from the station. From there, it was the alley where they'd first met.

Ryuji groaned loudly, pacing back and forth. Akira sat on an upturned crate, wiping stray tears from his eyes. "My scent's all over you...! They'll know it's me! The school will use you as an excuse to finally expel me!" He tangled his fingers in his short locks, forcing himself not to scream at the sky.

"I've stopped crying," Akira mumbled, dropping his hands into his lap. His eyes were red rimmed and swollen, making his smile useless. "And I like your scent. It's a sad attempt at a pickup line when someone says you smell delicious, but you... you smell _delicious_. You remind me... of ramen."

Ryuji's pacing stopped immediately, but he never turned around.

"I have no idea why I never noticed it before. Maybe..." Akira idly rubbed at the back of his neck, void now of the patch that passed him off as a Beta. He smiled, a small curl of his lips. ‘ _I am an Omega_.’ 

**—**

After walking through the front gates of Shujin Academy, it became clear to Akira that Ryuji was the only one that knew his true second gender. The stares were endless as he moved through the school halls, and the remarks scathing. Akira chose not to acknowledge any of it and entered his classroom via the back door. Mishima's head snapped up, along with every other student present.

Ann was out of her seat and at his side instantly. “I had no idea,” she babbled once at the brunet’s side. “You hid it so well. You were more of a Beta than me! Did anybody do anything to you on the way here? There’s a faint hint of Ryuji. Did he walk you here?” Her eyes narrowed dangerously, ice-blue eyes promising physical violence. “Did he try something?”

“No,” Akira laughed, wiping a few stray tears from his eyes. He never expected to receive such positive responses from his friends. He should have known better. “He walked me here from the train station.”

“I can pick you up from now on, if you’d like,” Ann offered. They stood beside their respective desks now. “Mako-chan tries to walk with Mishima when she can.”

Akira didn’t know that. He smiled gratefully. “I’ll think about it. You’ll probably have to fight Ryuji for the job.”

“I won’t hesitate.” Ann made a muscle to prove just how serious she was.

Akira laughed again. He added Ann’s defiant voice to Sojiro's calm voice and Ryuji's loud one, and slipped into his seat with a relaxed smile. Futaba was literally at his side via his cell phone, watching out for him. They were his own personal protection squad; Akira was safe.

**—**

Ryuji's taboo relationship was pushed to the side by Akira's sudden gender reveal. That is, until the school day ended. Ryuji appeared in the doorway of 2-B, his fierce gaze moving from one Omega to the other. Ann saw him first, and whispered to Akira, who turned towards the open door. Ryuji found himself relaxing beneath the gray-eyed gaze, and freed a hand from his pocket to beckon the brunet over. 

The minute Akira walked out of the classroom to join Ryuji, new rumors began to fly. Akira let the whispered accusations of chasing a mated Alpha bounce off him. Ryuji was his friend, first and foremost. There was no way he would come between him and his mate. 

**xxx**

Ryuji decided Big Bang was a good location. They were less likely to draw attention, even as an unmated Alpha and Omega pair. Akira nibbled on his fries after pushing the wrapped burger to the side. "When did you find out?"

Ryuji finished a bite of his burger with a thoughtful look. "The first time you invited me up to your room."

Akira huffed, a scornful smile playing at his lips. "Sojiro warned me not to, but... I was just so happy to have a friend."

"Same, dude." Ryuji set down his burger, folding his arms atop the table. "Your room smelled like an Omega. I thought, holy shit, Akira found a mate. But then I realized the scent was _only_ in your room. Day before yesterday, when I came and picked you up, Boss looked ready to string me up by my happy bits." Ryuji grinned at Akira’s shocked stare, scratching the bridge of his nose. "Yeah. Somehow, your scent had drifted down into the shop. Since Leblanc wasn't open, I knew it had to be you, confirming everything I'd ever thought. Did you know Alphas have a way to block Omega scents?"

Akira shook his head, fascinated by the turn of subject.

"Perfume," Ryuji stated with all the confidence he could muster. Akira covered his mouth, but the laughter still spilled out between his fingers. Success. Akira looked so down; Ryuji only wanted to cheer him up. Keeping him happy would always be top priority. "Don't ask where I got it from, though. I left, headed to the laundromat, and rubbed some right here..." Ryuji indicated to his upper lip, right above the Cupid's Bow. "And it helped. I bought the drinks as an excuse."

Gone was Akira's smile, replaced with something akin to fear and horror. "Do I... offend?"

Eyes wide, Ryuji shook his head. "No way, man! I was just respecting your privacy."

Akira tried to hold the tears in, but they refused to listen. He wondered if this was his true nature as an Omega—overemotional and sensitive to everything. Or maybe this was a personal problem. The one person he would have loved to create a future with—an understanding, kind, and fiery soul, was out of reach, but always nearby, fretting over him. They always said life wasn't fair. 

"I came prepared!"

Akira lowered his hands, choking out a wet laugh at the sight of almost a dozen tissue packets spread between their trays. Unlike during his previous breakdown, Ryuji remained calm, smiling as Akira opened a packet and began wiping at his face. "I'm sorry," the brunet mumbled, sniffling softly.

"I'm not giving you orders, but you shouldn't apologize so much." Ryuji picked up his burger, taking a big bite. "You never did it before. You shouldn't let your second gender control you. I mean... do I act like an Alpha?"

"No," Akira told him with a soft sniffle, wiping at his nose. He set the used and crumpled tissue aside to pick up a fry."You're just... Ryuji." He popped the food into his mouth. 

"Exactly! So you should go back to being Akira. The smart mouthed li'l punk that don't take shit from no one. 'cept..." Ryuji was blushing, a rare sight to Akira's eyes. "Tell me to get lost when... y'know... that time... rolls around."

That time? Akira looked confused for a moment. Ryuji's blush deepened and it hit him swiftly. " _Oh_." Akira blushed as bright as the blond. "I haven't had one since my first."

Ryuji raised an eyebrow, his embarrassment fading. "Weird. Should you see a doctor?"

Akira's heart swelled. _'Stop being so nice_.' "No. Suppressants."

Ryuji still looked uncertain, but he dropped the subject. "If you're feeling better, you should eat." He nodded at the wayward burger when Akira met his eye. "You'll grow big and strong."

"Maybe just big," the brunet muttered, unwrapping the sandwich. Ryuji grinned.

**xxx**

Ryuji walked Akira right to the front door of Leblanc, despite the continuous stream of protest. He pushed him through the door, waved at a surprised Sojiro, and took his leave. Akira smiled apologetically at the young doctor from the nearby clinic. Takemi Tae nodded her head at him in return, expression unchanging from its monotonous state.

"Welcome back," Sojiro rumbled. "Glad to see today was successful."

Akira's grin dimmed to a lesser watt smile. "It didn't start out too great, but... it ended well enough. I know how to handle things now."

"You can send anyone that harasses you to me," the young doctor suggested in a low, humming drawl. "After you put them in their place for thinking they can walk all over Omegas." Takemi herself was an Omega. Once a successful doctor, she was stripped of her renown and disowned from the hospital she'd worked at for years. An Alpha came into the picture and turned her life onto its head by pinning _his_ medical mistake on her. She was successful in Yongen-jaya now, and off the radar. Akira visited the clinic ever so often and ended up a guinea pig to the young woman's medical trials. Makes him wonder now if she always knew his second gender.

Takemi smirked, as though reading his thoughts, and went back to staring down at her coffee.

Akira asked for a soda, making sure to grab a coaster as he passed the stack, and headed up to his room with the drink. He had snacks in his bag, courtesy of Ryuji, that would be enjoyed as he worked on his homework.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ABO universe created here is a hodge podge of different fics and different Omegaverse mangas I've read. I will say that the closest universe being followed is that of the manga "Kashikomarimashita, Destiny" (which you guys should read, 'cause it's awesome). 
> 
> I'm sure Takemi is all "alpha" material, but it seemed more fitting to make her an Omega, considering her in-game circumstances. This'll probably be her only appearance anyway *shrug*


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always read that somebody smells like "vanilla" or "strawberry". How 'bout... they smell like what they like/love? No matter what fruity flavor it is? Thus... these boys smelling the way they do (I don't think I worded this properly, but... I have a headache, so that'll have to do)

After his second week without blockers, Akira grew accustomed to the stares and fought off the touches. Morning commute was the worst, but he always emerged from the train victorious. The only problem now was that Ryuji refused to take him to the gym.  _"You have to wear your blockers,"_  was his argument.  _"I refuse to beat up everyone and get kicked out when you start sweating pheromones!"_  Akira made sure to bring a pair with him the next day, but Ryuji was missing. He usually hung around outside the classroom, waiting to drag him off on some adventure. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he sent off a text to the missing blond asking where he was.

 **Ryuji:**   _Ueno Museum_. 

"Ueno...?" Why would Ryuji be at an art museum? Curiousity piqued, Akira decided to spend a few yen and travel the distance.

The ride was surprisingly uneventful. Akira found a seat on the (yellow) green line train and no one spared him a second glance. He felt around the back of his neck, wondering if he'd mistakenly put on a patch, but there was nothing other than smooth skin. With a small smile, Akira pulled out a notebook and proceeded to brush up on class material for upcoming tests. When his stop was announced, he packed everything away and made his exit along with several others.

The second Akira set foot into the museum, he realized his worry had been for no reason. He smelled Alphas and Betas, but the scents of Omegas calmed every anxious nerve in his body. He was so relaxed perusing the gorgeous pieces of artwork, he forgot he was here on mission. His mission found him as he lost himself in a particularly mesmerizing piece.  _Desire_. That was its name. It was chaos, but with a sense of stability.

" _You've been here for ten minutes_."

Akira turned towards the new voice and found himself looking _up_. The first thing Akira noticed was the unknown Alpha's scent. Just like Ryuji's, it was "delicious", but what made it more enticing was that he smelled like a fresh-brewed cup of coffee. Leblanc. Safe. Akira almost bared his neck, but remembered his current location. His mouth, however, did run off without his brain. "You smell like an espresso."

Those enlightened gray eyes reflected surprise before a warm smile spread across the Alpha's face. He turned towards the painting, arms crossed loosely over his waist. “What do you see, that no one else does?”

"Ten minutes isn't long enough," Akira argued, mirroring the other's actions. "If I had the money, I would buy this. It reminds me... of me." Of course he couldn't tell a stranger how much he hated his second gender and hid it for almost half his life; how much he hated himself because of his sudden desire to monopolise his best friend’s love. A dear friend, that was already mated. “The dark desires of the human heart…”

The Alpha opened his mouth to comment, but was forced to swallow his words when an older gentleman walked up beside them.

"It would be a waste of your money," the middle-aged Beta commented. “Everyone’s entitled to their personal opinions, but the artist most likely painted this on a whim. There is neither elegance or emotion in this piece.”

Akira took a step towards the man, but the unnamed Alpha held him back with a gentle hand against his chest.

The gentleman was met by a lady partner, and they both moved on to check out the rest of the museum. Akira glared at the man's retreating back before looking to his earlier companion.

"He's right," the dark-haired teen sighed. "I'll pull it at the end of the week."

Akira blinked. "You’ll… pull it?"

Gray eyes regarded him curiously. "This piece belongs to me. I'm Kitagawa Yusuke."

Akira didn’t have to check the placard; he remembered seeing that name beneath the title. "Oh," was the only proper response he could think of.

Yusuke smiled, "Thank you for your kind words, but I am not bothered in the slightest. I always felt there was something missing from this painting." He raised a hand, fingers curling around his chin. "Maybe I can give it to you, as a co—"

"No," Akira wheezed, backing away as he shook his head and hands vehemently. "I have nowhere to put something so amazing. I live in my guardian's attic. It's nice, and the bathhouse is literally right next door. But there's no way that will look good in my room!"

Yusuke chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. "That narrows things down for me. Maybe I'll pay your guardian a visit. I believe that's the proper thing to do when cou—"

" _Yusuke_!"

Akira would know that voice and approaching scent anywhere.

Ryuji forced his way through a few onlookers, his grin growing wider after locking eyes with Akira. "What’re you doin’ here?" he asked when he stopped at the artist's side.

"Looking for you," Akira mumbled before his common sense kicked in. His eyes widened and he turned his back on the duo to hide his shame. He could hear Ryuji laughing behind him and Yusuke attempting to shush him. His face still aflame in embarrassment, Akira tuned back into his surroundings in time to hear Ryuji address him.

"It's kinda funny—you two meeting. I wanted to introduce you."

 _He's a guy. He's gorgeous. He's an Alpha_. Akira turned back around slowly, almost reluctantly. He followed the hand hooked over Yusuke's shoulder back to Ryuji. The blond's grin was almost blinding.

"He's my mate," Ryuji declared, giving Yusuke's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "The one the rumors at school are talkin' about."

"I have been subjected to those rumors at my own school for quite some time now," Yusuke stated, completely unfazed.

"They're just jealous," Ryuji laughed, using the hand on Yusuke's shoulder to bring the taller teen down for a quick kiss. Akira's distressed scent spiked suddenly, drawing the attention of almost everyone on the hallway. Ryuji's grin faded into a frown and Yusuke’s expression reflected his concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Akira choked out, trying to bury his distorted emotions.

"Akira—"

"Nothing," Akira repeated forcefully, cutting off Ryuji. He bowed at the waist, plastering a fake smile on his face as he straightened up. "Kitagawa. It was nice meeting you. Ryuji, I'll see you at school."

"You're not going anywhere smellin' like that," Ryuji argued. He stepped forward, snagging Akira's wrist with his free hand.

Akira fought to free himself. "I'll take my chances."

"Like hell...!"

"Ryuji." Yusuke tried soothing his mate in a placating tone, but Ryuji brushed it off.

"This is the second time you've reacted this way, Akira. Around me! Are you really..." His fingers uncurled from the trembling arm, and his hand fell away. Ryuji looked hurt. "Are you scared of me?"

Akira shook his head violently, his dark curls bouncing then settling. "No! Never. It's..." If he put it out there, there was no taking it back. "I... It's the opposite. I like you. But you're taken, so it's nothing to worry about. I've only been an Omega for a few weeks, so I can't control these new emotions. I’m sorry... I'm sorry, for everything." Akira disappeared into the crowd of onlookers before either of the two boys could comment.

His absence didn't stop the couple from conversing between themselves.

"You scared him," Yusuke murmured.

"Shut up.” Ryuji ran his fingers through his short hair with a growl, “I know that. I lost my cool."

"You always do." Yusuke rubbed the back of his neck and recalled Akira's first words to him. It brought a smile to his face. "He said I smelled like coffee."

"I knew it," Ryuji exclaimed, fist clenched and raised in victory.

Yusuke, ever the voice of reason, reminded him there was a small flaw in their plans. "If we follow through with this, we'll be at the center of everyone's attention. The reports of triads can be counted on one hand. We will be the first in this country."

“Let it happen.” Ryuji's eyes narrowed in a determined glare. "I'll never leave his side."

"Then I guess nothing will change," Yusuke chuckled. He shifted his gaze to his painting, fingers tucked beneath his chin in a thoughtful pose. "Where does he live? I'll court him the old-fashioned way." Ryuji smiled wearily. 

* * *

Morgana trotted up the stairs and alerted the lone occupant of Leblanc’s attic room with a soft mewl. Akira rolled over, dragging the covers up over his head. Sojiro somehow managed to train the cat to retrieve him during the café’s work hours. Akira didn’t feel like facing his guardian. He didn’t want to see anybody. Morgana obviously didn’t get the message, and the white booted, black cat jumped up onto the occupied bed.

Akira felt the feline pad around, jumping over the obvious lumps of his body before settling near his head. He closed his eyes, welcoming sleep along with the cat, only to be jarred from his thoughts by the soft pressing against his head. Morgana calmly kneaded at the round lump.

“I don’t need a massage,” Akira groaned, shuffling so his head was no longer under the cat’s paws.

Morgana was not so easily deterred and followed, continuing his previous ministrations.

Akira dragged himself down the steps after being summoned by a  _cat_ , surprised to find that Leblanc was empty. He always assumed that it was busiest while he was away at school. Morgana leapt into his chair and settled himself into a comfortable loaf. Akira smoothed a hand down his back before quietly slipping into one of the tall chairs at the counter. He kept his head bowed, studying each line pattern in the countertop wood.

Sojiro studied Akira’s hunched figure with a calculating gaze. "This is your last day of moping. You're going back to school tomorrow."

"Mm," Akira mumbled, folding his hands between his thighs.

Sojiro exhaled deeply, crossing his arms over his chest. "It's the loud one, isn't it?"

"He's the only one," Akira stated, his voice barely above a whisper. "I have an Omega and Beta as friends. The Beta’s Alpha mate by default. I have... four friends." Akira lifted his head, staring at Sojiro from beneath droopy bangs. "You and Futaba are like family."

Sojiro gave him a lopsided grin, but kept his arms crossed over his chest. He had no idea what Wakaba and her team had been working on—that was Futaba's specialty, but Sojiro was a little concerned that the scent blockers may have buried the boy’s Omega instincts. And now that they were no longer inhibited, they were running wild, taking Akira along for the ride. It could also just be a case of "young love".

Leblanc’s owner uncrossed his arms, lifting a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I can't say I understand what you're going through. I'm a Beta. Futaba's a Beta. You've been living as one for almost all your life. To suddenly be thrust back into the world as an Omega, you're probably living in hell."

Akira hunched his shoulders up to his ear, attempting to curl into himself. Between the wandering hands and the forward Alphas that try to scent mark him, he'd almost slapped a patch on his neck to go back to his previous life. It was too late now; the secret was out. "It's not so bad," he lied.

Sojiro scoffed, muttering a few choice words beneath his breath. He poured a cup of coffee for himself and the boy slumped on the opposite side of the counter. "I don't really care about your love life, but you're stinkin' up my cafe, so... go ahead and cry!" Akira lifted his head, blinking wide, doe-like eyes as the man. "Tell me what happened," Sojiro sighed.

Akira's face crumpled as his walls came tumbling down, and Sojiro knew he was in for the long haul.

Two cups of coffee, a plate of curry, and one customer later, Sojiro finally understood why Akira was so broken up. He also didn't see why it was so wrong for an Alpha to love another Alpha. He was never fond of society and its convoluted rules. You love who you love; Wakaba taught him that. The loud one also seemed like the type that didn't care about labels.

Sojiro removed his glasses to clean them, slipping them back on with a soft sigh. "I'm surprised he hasn't kicked down the door looking for you yet, but from what you told me... he won't. When you go back to school tomorrow, get a definite answer from him."

Akira could only nod. Laying his feelings bare left him empty and tired. He did feel  _somewhat_  better, but was far from being 100%.

Morgana, realizing his humans were finished talking, let out a whining meow. "Hush you," Sojiro chided. "You could have walked out with old lady Hama. She probably would've fed you." Morgana yawned, staring at the man with great disinterest. "Akira's not takin' you anywhere, not unless you plan to protect him." Morgana shifted his attention to the teen, nose twitching as he scented him.

Akira gave him a faint smile. "I can put on a patch, just for you Mona."

The black cat looked proud of himself as he hopped from his perch, to an empty seat, and then finally into Akira's lap. "Oi," Sojiro warned. Akira picked up the purring feline in an awkward hold, knowing Morgana would gladly let him know if it wasn't comfortable. He climbed out of his seat and disappeared upstairs.

Morgana was balanced against his shoulder when he reappeared, pawing at the back of his neck. "He probably likes your smell," Sojiro chuckled, already brewing a new pot of coffee for his evening stragglers.

"At least someone does.” Akira scratched gently behind a black ear. “Thank you, Mona." Morgana changed his perch, front paws now pressed against the side of Akira's head. From what the teen could tell, it was a trigger reaction when the nickname Ryuji gave the cat was used. With a small grin, he made his way outside.

 

Akira lost Morgana at the market. Rather than be worried, he decided to blow off some steam at the batting cages. One homerun, one hit, and three misses later, Akira took his consolation prize back to the cafe. After a hot bath, Akira felt confident enough to start a new message to Ryuji.

 **Me:**   _I'm coming back to school tomorrow_  
**Me:**   _But I still need another day before we can talk_.  
**Me:**   _Thank you... for being understanding_.

Ryuji's response came shortly after he hit send.

 **Ryuji** :  _Idiot_.

That was it, but the single word carried more weight than a thousand. Akira wondered if he would ever find a mate as perfect as Ryuji. 

* * *

Akira stared at the patches strewn across the tabletop. The one-sided match was going on ten minutes now, each second a possibility of him being late for school. School; where Ryuji waited. He would not be a slave to his secondary gender; it was  _secondary_  for a reason. There was no Alpha in the world that could make him act against his own wishes, and that included his friend, but he couldn’t help the nervous fluttering in his stomach.

Akira packed away the scent blockers and picked up his school case on the way down the steps. He greeted Sojiro jovially, taking a seat behind the plate of curry waiting for him.

"Sorry if it's a little cold," Sojiro mumbled around his morning cigarette.

Akira waved him off with a smile. "It's my fault. I took longer than usual. Still couldn't tame my hair," he finished with a laugh.

Sojiro arched an eyebrow, making sure it was clear in his expression that Akira knew he was blowing smoke. He knew a lie when he heard one. "I won't ask, but you already know the spiel."

Akira spooned up some curry and rice, reciting it before taking a bite. 

 **—**  

The short time with Sojiro helped ease his mind, and the cup of coffee he took with him brightened his mood considerably. Walking through the front doors of Shujin tried to put a damper on that great mood, but Akira fought it with a nonchalant attitude. It was easy to see everyone as strangers—they treated him as such the moment he removed his patch. Ann still treated him as she normally would, and for that Akira was grateful.

When lunch time rolled around, Akira waved a hand at Mishima to get his attention. Ann was already out of her seat, stretching leisurely as she waited. Mishima rose hesitantly from his chair, briefly looking around to see if he was the one being addressed.

Akira nodded, smiling. "Lunch together. Takamaki is our bodyguard."

"Takamaki," Ann scoffed. "Yuuki. Let's go!"

"Yes!" Mishima tripped over his feet, and every desk in his path in his haste to make it to the front of the room.

After collecting their meals, they found an unoccupied table close to the cafeteria doors and settled into a tense silence. Ann didn't ask questions, but Akira’s distress was starting to stress her out. "You need to get over him," the blonde sighed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. She knew it was an impossible request, but she hoped things would start moving forward.

Akira shuffled his food around aimlessly, already full; he’d had no appetite. Unfortunately, he could not move on. It would involve changing schools--uprooting his entire life to start over. Ryuji—dare he think it—felt like his “fated one”. That was almost as absurd as Alpha mates. "But that's real," Akira muttered. He crushed the sliver of hope attempting to bloom.

"I think you should follow your instincts," Mishima spoke up. His voice was low, but steady and unwavering. He set down his chopsticks with a sigh, smiling sheepishly at Akira's shocked stare. "I'll be honest, since that's what we're doing. For the longest time, I thought  _you_  were my fated one."

Akira's eyes only grew wider.

"Yeah," Mishima laughed. "I kept telling myself it's not impossible to fall for a Beta." He glanced at Ann, who grinned at him. "But the more time I spent with you, I realized... I held you dear, as someone I could look up to. Someone I could aspire to be. Looking back on it now... You're one helluva Omega—standing up to the shittiest Alpha in existence." A story to never be reminisced. "I admired you. I still do. You obviously had a reason for hiding, but you decided to show the world just what you really are."

"You're putting me on a pretty high pedestal," Akira laughed nervously.

Mishima grinned. "Just callin' it like I see it."

"I have to agree with Yuuki—"

"Stop," Mishima whined, hunching his shoulders up to his ears.

Ann's grin was all teeth, her expression saying she had no intention of ending her teasing.

Ann would have made a gorgeous and righteous Alpha, but then she would have been in an Alpha-Alpha relationship, just like Ryuji and Kitagawa. 

"But he's right." Gone was the grin on the blond's face, replaced with a frown. "I think you should address the situation between you and Ryuji. It'll only get worse if you ignore it. He's your best friend. Don't throw that away because of some stupid secondary gender."

"Says the Beta," Akira mumbled, setting down his utensil.

" _Says her Alpha_ ," a gentle voice cut in.

Akira sat up straight, eyes locking on the brunette now standing behind the blonde’s chair. The Student Council President.

Ann tilted her head upward, only to have Niijima Makoto tilt it back down. No PDA in school. The blonde pouted. Makoto laughed softly before shifting her attention back to Akira. "I missed half the conversation, but I will add my own argument. You're an amazing person, Akira. Beta  _or_  Omega. If it wasn't for you, I would still be seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses. I also would not have found such a charming young woman to court."

Ann giggled, a wide grin splitting her face. Makoto squeezed her shoulder lovingly and continued speaking, "Ryuji might be a bit of a hothead, but he's one of few respectable Alphas. He's always in your personal space, but he never scent marks you."

"He's already mated," Akira kindly pointed out, the sneer in his voice audible.

"And you're important to him," Makoto countered. "Mate or not, he has every right to scent mark you to tell others back off. It's a protective instinct."

"He probably knows you can handle yourself," Mishima added.

"And that you'd hate him forever if he did it without your consent or permission," Ann hummed.

"Talk to him? Please?" Makoto's eyes pleaded better than her voice did, and who was Akira to refuse an imploring Alpha; he'd fight a demanding one in a heartbeat.

"Fine," he mumbled. Akira began collecting his and everyone else's trash to keep his hands and his mind occupied.

Between disposing of the trash and exiting the cafeteria, the small group of friends made plans to visit the planetarium this weekend.

**xxx**

Sojiro straightened up after the bell above the door jingled. He smiled, opening his mouth to welcome back his charge, only to be put on alert when Akira practically flooded the cafe with a distressed scent. Leblanc's owner was never more grateful that his shop was rarely frequented; there was no one to comment on the Omega’s emotional leak. There was someone, however, that caused it.

Following Akira's gaze, Sojiro found his new customer at the end of it. The dark-haired Alpha sat at the counter, enjoying his coffee, unperturbed. "Sorry, but I'm gonna have to ask you—"

"No," Akira cut in. He eased into the shop, slowly closing the door behind them. "I'm sorry. It was a knee-jerk reaction. I can't control...  _me_ ," the brunet finished with a weak, trembling smile.

Kitagawa Yusuke set down his cup, smiling warmly at the older gentlemen glaring daggers into his chest. "That was truly divine."

"Thanks," Sojiro drawled dryly. "Now leave." Sojiro had nothing but time on his hands. When it came to Akira's safety and well-being, there were no corners to cut. The Alpha seated at the counter was patient and polite enough, but he still caused a panic in Akira that Sojiro couldn't overlook.

"Sojiro," Akira sighed. He carefully eased his way behind the seated teen, unsure with himself about his behavior. Yusuke did nothing wrong.  _Yusuke is a rival_. But he didn’t smell like one. “He’s a colleague.”

Yusuke folded his hands atop the counter, a troubled gaze focused on his intertwined fingers. "I am a little sad that Kurusu- _kun_  views me in such a light. When we first met..." He smiled, a soft and gentle thing, as though reliving a fond memory from years ago. "He was absolutely smitten with my artwork. Even wanted to attack some gentleman voicing his opinion. And then he bolted." Yusuke lifted his head, expression unguarded and almost desperate. "Is it... because of Ryuji?"

Akira shied away from the counter, making to walk behind Yusuke and disappear. Everything was because of Ryuji, and these omega instincts he couldn't control.

_I think you should follow your instincts._

Akira stood, motionless, eyes closed as he tried to focus on  _just_  scents. Leblanc was a plethora of amazing smells. Sojiro's familiar scent, mixed with the smell of cigarettes; curry simmering in the back; Morgana. And coffee. But this coffee wasn't something brewed in the cafe. The scent was muffled by chemicals, obviously produced by the paints the up and coming artists used. Akira wanted to wake up and be greeted by that smell, paint and all. He wanted it to envelope him and drown out his own scent. Coffee and ramen.

Akira sank into the nearest booth, tears escaping down his face after his eyes fluttered open. "Futaba..." He fumbled for his phone, unlocking the device. "Futaba. The patches your mother helped create—"

The texts started flooding in.

 **Alibaba:**   _They were designed to make you a beta._  
**Alibaba:**   _In every way._  
**Alibaba:**   _Your scent and your ability TO scent were reduced._    
**Alibaba:**   _Right now, everything's new and different_. 

 _You've never lived as an Omega before_. Akira looked away from his phone, gaze dragging along the floor with no real intent to meet the stares he could feel digging into the back of his neck. That was when he noticed the oversized, rectangular object on the floor by Yusuke's feet, propped up against the counter. That size... Akira sprang up from the old leather cushion, pointing an accusing finger.

"Oh." Yusuke slid out of his own seat and reached down to collect it.

Sojiro had wondered about the object, especially after it entered his shop first, the boy on the other end. He cleared the counter to make room and leaned forward with great interest as the Alpha began to unwrap the cloth. When the first corner was revealed, Akira's hand flew to his mouth, only to travel higher. He pushed his glasses aside, covering his eyes.

 _Desire_  was unveiled and Yusuke had never felt prouder. He knew he could create something better, but only if he had his newfound muse. "Boss," Yusuke began, receiving a bland stare for his efforts. "My name is Kitagawa Yusuke. I'm sixteen years old, and I attend Kosei Academy."

Sojiro's eyebrows rose in mild amazement. The prestigious school was known to produce geniuses. The painting and story now made more sense.

Yusuke resumed his impromptu speech, "This piece is called Desire. Kurusu is the only one that saw the emotions I poured into it, which is why I would like to present it to him as a courting gift."

Sojiro's mouth fell open, eyes wide behind his glasses.

Akira's phone vibrated in his hand.

 **Alibaba** :  _A triad. You have all the luck_.

Before Akira could respond, Sojiro called out to him, drawing his attention back to the impossible situation. "Courting is a thing of the past," Sojiro sighed, longing for a cigarette to calm his mind and his nerves. "And it's Akira's decision, not mine."

"My household was an old-fashioned one." Yusuke ducked his head. "My apologies."

Sojiro belted out a sharp laugh. "Kitagawa, was it? Don't apologize for being raised properly!"

Yusuke’s eyes were bright as he lifted his head, hope brimming in their depths. "Yes, Boss." Sojiro smirked.

The bell jingled and the middle-aged woman paused at the threshold. Her face spoke volumes, and it was obvious she wondered if entering was the right decision. Her husband chose for them, gently ushering her inside. "Shit," the cafe owner muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. He didn't want Akira alone with this Alpha, but things couldn't continue on the sales floor.

Akira's phone vibrated again, but he waited for the elderly couple to enter and seat themselves before passing the message along to Sojiro. "Futaba says she has ears on me and fingers ready to dial the police." Akira smiled, typing out a response rather than speak it aloud.

Sojiro waved a dismissing hand. "Alright. Go."

Yusuke collected his bag first before loosely wrapping the painting and picking it up. Akira led the way up to his attic room quietly. It was funny, seeing the large object follow him, but when the canvas was eased aside, a nervous fluttering filled his stomach. The same kind he felt around Ryuji.

"You don't have to give me an answer until you've reached your final decision." Yusuke propped the painting up against the nearby shelf and studied the empty walls to find the best location from which to hang it. He crossed his arms, hugging them at the elbows, and smiled at the brunet. "But I would like you to consider spending time with me. Ryuji's kept you to himself for years, only bringing back that wonderful smell."

"What’s my scent like?" Akira asked earnestly. Sojiro always told him he stunk, and he’d never thought to ask Ryuji.

"Perfect," Yusuke answered without hesitation. "I know that's not the answer you're looking for, but it's the only thing I feel when you're nearby. To carry your scent with me..." Yusuke trailed off and unlocked his arms. He covered his face, hiding his blush behind his hands. "I'm so sorry! I stepped out of line..."

Akira shook his head, lips pressed together in a tight line, sporting a brighter blush than the art student. For an  _Alpha_  to willingly ask for an Omega's scent was a turn on he didn't know he had.

Yusuke dragged his hands away from his face, lacking the composure he normally carried himself with. "I will keep our outings as platonic as possible until you decide you're comfortable with my advances. I've actually begun working on a new piece and I would like it if you can accompany me on my quest to get better."

Akira leaned back against the wooden table in his room, arms crossed over his chest leisurely. "As long as you leave the finished product in Ueno Museum."

Yusuke smiled, "I accept these terms. Also... please don't ignore Ryuji. He's the only Alpha I know that whines."

Akira dragged a finger up the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "I didn't ignore him... per se.”

"Then I'll tell him to get over it." Yusuke extended his arms, indicating to the expanse of wall before him. "Shall we work on displaying my gift?"

Akira smiled, "Yes."

— 

When their redecorating task was complete, Akira walked Yusuke downstairs and to the front door of Leblanc. He was not allowed outside where Sojiro couldn't keep an eye on him.

Yusuke adjusted his bag where he stood just inside the entrance, pulling it higher onto his shoulder. He took a small breath, holding it in to enjoy the delicious fragrance, and smiled down at the Omega. "Spices," Yusuke hummed, eyes closed. "You smell like spices. There's no particular blend that comes to mind, and forgive me for being so bold, but..." He leaned in close, keeping the end of his conversation between them, "I would definitely enjoy having a taste." 

Akira's face grew hot, and he covered his neck with both hands. Not out of fear, but in hopes of staving off the blush that tried to spread throughout his entire body. With an innocent smile, Yusuke bowed to the glaring Sojiro before taking his leave. Akira pulled the neck of his sweater up to his nose after the door clicked shut, but it did nothing to muffle his loud groan. Sojiro banished him upstairs, stating that he would lock up Leblanc himself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy December~  
> (I de-anon'd 'cause this is nothing to hide for; nothing raunchy or the like)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little Ryuji POV of the previous chapters that leads up to the current events.

Ryuji pulled his phone from his school case before slinging the bag over his shoulder. Seeing new texts from his three favorite people pushed aside a lackluster training and brought a wide grin to his face. He opened Yusuke's first and was given a lopsided shot of his current piece. The message following it said: _it's almost complete_ , even though most of the canvas was still white.

Ryuji sent off his reply.

 **Me:** _Just make sure you gimme the date_.  
**Me:** _Don't wanna miss my mate's unveiling_!

Yusuke was probably elbow deep in paint so Ryuji knew he wouldn't get a reply until tomorrow. He moved onto Akira's message.

 **Akira:** _Track and baseball are completely different sports_.  
**Akira:** _Join me at the batting cages_.  
**Akira:** _Never mind. I forgot you had practice_.  
**Akira:** _Ann and I are studying. Wanna join us? We'll be at Leblanc_.

Even his rambling was cute. Ryuji checked the time stamp on the message against the phone's clock. Twenty minutes ago. Knowing the two Betas, their books would be buried under various foods, which meant Ryuji hadn't missed the "study" session just yet.

Finally, he checked his mom's message. She asked for groceries and wished him a happy day. Ryuji smiled and pocketed his phone. If he left Leblanc early enough, he could shop at the market on the main street before heading home. With a plan in mind, he set about making it happen.

 **—**  

Ryuji made his grand appearance at Leblanc with a grin and a bag of snacks. No drinks, because Boss would probably kick him out. He greeted the owner with a polite nod and received a curt one in return. Good enough. He deposited his goods on the cluttered table before forcibly scooting into the booth beside Akira. Yusuke always told him he wasn't subtle, but there was nothing he wanted to hide. Ann was too busy opening the new snacks to notice, and it was a damn shame the Beta pressed against his side was so oblivious.

After two years of pining, and one year of whining to his mate, Ryuji finally came to terms with the fact that he _liked_ Akira. Being an Alpha pair was bad enough, but dragging a Beta into it would make it worse. An Omega could round them off—to crudely put it: "a hole for them to stick it in", but would still provoke gossip, because then they'd become a triad. Ryuji didn't care about any of that. He would protect what was his. If Akira would open his eyes and notice his failed attempts at courtship, then everything would be grand. Ryuji pushed his inner monologue aside and dove into the study party.

 

Ann left before the sun set, called in for a photoshoot, leaving the boys to their own devices. Ryuji had given up on studying a while ago, and watched the news along with Sojiro. There was nothing interesting being aired, but it was better than the words and numbers threatening to break his fragile mind.

"You're going to fail," Akira reminded him, stealing a snack stick from the emptying container.

"I'll find a way to graduate," Ryuji countered.

"Good luck, kid," Sojiro scoffed, tearing his gaze away from the television to begin closing procedures.

Ryuji remained one more hour before taking his leave. It took a great deal of self-control to not bestow a goodbye kiss on the Beta after Akira walked him to the door. He had only one more stop to make before going home to continue pining.

* * *

Ryuji wanted to run back down the stairs. Even though Sojiro talked with Akira over the countertop, the man's glare was pointedly directed at him, and effectively froze him in place after climbing the few steps to the attic. When Akira's eyes flicked towards him, he knew he was the subject of their discussion.

Ryuji took one step down, but Akira was suddenly there, pushing him back up. He opened his mouth to protest, but snapped it shut the moment he entered the attic. It was _saturated_ with the scent of an Omega. And an amazing one at that! Had Akira mated and didn't share the happy news? He felt a sharp spike of jealousy, but pushed it aside.

Ryuji faced his friend to question him, but his brain dutifully reminded him that Akira never carried this scent with him. The scent, in fact, was nowhere else but this room. So, unless Sojiro allowed this strange Omega to climb through the attic window, which Ryuji _highly_ doubted, there was something else at play. Was life really so kind as to give him what he desired?

Ryuji's thoughts ran away from him, forming theories that finally spiraled into two single thoughts. Akira was an Omega. Akira was mate!

Akira raised an eyebrow after Ryuji continued to stare at him, snapping the blond from his thoughts. "It's more spacious than I thought!" Ryuji blurted out with a nervous laugh.

Akira relaxed with a smile. "I thought the same thing after I finished cleaning it. Make yourself comfortable. You brought manga and I have video games. They're kinda old, though..."

"Retro is great!" Ryuji gave Akira a playful slap on the shoulder and Ryuji could see his nervousness escape through that friendly touch.

Akira excused himself, moving the short distance to his bed. He sank into a crouch and Ryuji took those moments to admire the Beta's smooth lines. No matter how many times he dragged Akira to the gym, he remained as lithe and slender as the day they first met. Maybe his stamina had improved? Ryuji shook his head, banishing the wandering thoughts. Akira stood up, a plastic bag in each arm, wordlessly announcing that the fun was about to begin. 

**—**

Ryuji reluctantly turned down Akira's offer to stay and enjoy home cooked curry. Yusuke texted him, asking him to stop by, and Ryuji was eager to see his mate again after almost a week. Apparently Yusuke was _very_ happy to see him as well. The tall Alpha pinned the blond against the wall, burying his nose in Ryuji's neck.

"Yusuke! What the...! Calm down! Did you go into rut?!"

"You smell amazing..." Yusuke panted, sucking on Ryuji's neck in an attempt to taste the heavenly smell.

Ryuji agreed the scent was amazing, but he had never seen Yusuke act this way before. If Yusuke was on his way to a rut, that meant the Omega might be in heat. Ryuji felt the strangest urge to go back to Leblanc and barricade Akira in the attic. Protect. When Yusuke began nipping near his scent glands, Ryuji grabbed the taller Alpha by the shoulders and kept him at arms’ length. "Wake up!" the blond growled, just shy of using his commanding voice.

Yusuke stared down at him, blinking repeatedly until the veil of desire was lifted from his vision. "...Ryuji."

Ryuji gave Yusuke a gentle shove to the side and stormed deeper into the old house. He headed to the first room with a reflective device. A howl of despair floated back out to the other Alpha. "Yusuke! You effin’ mauled me!"

"I'm sorry...?" Yusuke tucked his chin against his chest, hair ignored as it fell into his eyes. He faintly recalled Ryuji's arrival, but then an amazing scent assaulted his nose and he lost himself to his instincts. "Ryuji. I'm sorry. Please don't bring our mate here. Not when I can't control myself."

Ryuji stalked back into the main hallway, grabbing the Alpha's arm to drag him into his workroom. With another shove, Yusuke fell onto his bench and watched his mate pace back and forth. "You're smart, right?" Ryuji asked. The question was rhetorical, since he gave the other no time to respond. "The scent that's on me obviously belongs to an Omega, but... it came from Akira's room."

Kurusu Akira. Yusuke had yet to meet this person, but knew everything about him. Including his secondary gender. "He's a Beta," he quietly interjected.

"Exactly!" Ryuji stopped, throwing his arms skyward. "He's never shown any reaction to my scent whatsoever. Except to tell me I need to shower when I finish track."

Yusuke knew Ryuji's scent was _potent_ after a good workout. He tilted his head and his side swept bangs fell into his face, obscuring his left eye as both widened. "Blockers."

Ryuji lifted a hand to his scent glands, brow furrowed. "Maybe, but... he doesn't take time off from school for his heats." Like Mishima has to. "And I've heard Omegas on blockers still react to Alphas." His thoughts were leading him in a circle and his head was beginning to hurt. Partly because he was hungry after a day of fun with the subject of their discussion. "Let's go out to eat and receive stares."

"Or…” Yusuke smiled, standing from the stool. “We can bring our meal back here and stare at my debut piece. I’d like your opinion. It still needs some work.”

That plan sounded better. Ryuji grinned. “Deal!"   
  
When Ryuji met up with the usual group at lunch the following day, everyone took their phones out to snap pictures. To hide Yusuke's handiwork, he had to dig into his wardrobe and find the default Shujin winter top. "I forgot to do laundry," was mumbled as an excuse, and he pushed by the small group.

Touching the soft material of the high collar, Ryuji wondered if Akira's blockers were hidden beneath. He shook his head. Akira was his friend and love interest, no matter what. If he really was an Omega, he had a reason for hiding. It wasn't Ryuji's place to question it, but he would do everything in his power to protect what he held dear. 

* * *

The biggest surprise of his life was having the truth laid out before him.

Ryuji followed the familiar Omega scent to the higher level of Aoyama station. It guided him through business people and fellow students alike. It was only moments before spotting Akira's familiar back that he realized the scent was _outside_ of Leblanc. He threw his arm around Akira's shoulders before the brunet could walk through the station gates, only to have his greeting die on his lips.

The scent was coming from Akira! His best friend was an Omega!

Everything slowly fell into place, especially the triple murder glare Sojiro gave him when he stumbled into Leblanc early yesterday morning. His assumptions had been right all along! But why did Akira choose to reveal the truth _now_? Ryuji's hind brain growled "mine" and "mate", but his friend's security was more important and he easily silenced the Alpha voice. Just not his own.

"What the hell, dude?"

Akira looked downright terrified and devastated at the same time.

"Why aren't you wearing your blockers?"

It was the right and wrong question. Ryuji never thought he'd see the day Akira cried, but he held his friend as he did so, subtly trying to drag him out of the station. When Akira told him he smelled delicious and described his scent, Ryuji shut down on the outside while celebrating on the inside. The missing piece had been at his side all this time. Now all that was left was to introduce him to Yusuke.

* * *

“The universe _sucks_ …!” Ryuji moaned, rubbing his face all over the back of Yusuke’s shirt, which was still attached to said Alpha.

The young artist hummed softly, bowing under the weight, but kept his eyes locked on the canvas. He needed to come up with an idea for _Desire_ 's replacement. Ryuji was a blessing, but also a distraction. His company always eased away some of his tension, but right now, he wanted to scent mark his mate and take with him the amazing scent he carried. Ryuji’s complaints were also about the fact that Akira was missing from school, possibly scared to face him after his emotional confession At Ueno Museum.

“He's avoiding me—that's why he's not in school!” Ryuji suddenly shouted, draping his entire frame across Yusuke’s back. “He said he was on suppressants, so he doesn't get heats. By the way, I don't think that's safe, but I’m not his mate, so I can’t tell him that!” He took a deep breath, and Yusuke grew a little concerned when several moments passed and it wasn’t released.

“Ryuji?” Yusuke called out, unable to turn and check on his mate.

“Still here, babe.” The weight disappeared, Ryuji’s voice farther away now, “Sorry. I’ll leave you alone.”

Yusuke caught Ryuji’s wrist as he walked by, pulling the Alpha down into his lap. Ryuji avoided eye contact on purpose, choosing instead to stare at the empty canvas. A long and slender finger turned his head back and Ryuji closed his eyes right before receiving a kiss to the bridge of his nose.

“Stop rushing things,” Yusuke told him, his kisses light and roving across Ryuji’s face. “From what you’ve told me, he’s not used to being an Omega. This sudden change of lifestyle is probably difficult for him.” Ryuji still refused to open his eyes, so Yusuke resorted to the one thing they swore never to do. He tilted his head, rubbing his scent gland across the golden crown.

Ryuji almost fell from his lap trying to free himself. “We said we wouldn’t…!”

“We found our third,” Yusuke reminded him. “He already loves you, so I’m the odd one out. Let me speak with him. If he realizes we’re both interested, then maybe he’ll come around.” He ducked his head to rub the top of his head against Ryuji’s scent gland.

Ryuji whined, but didn’t pull away. In fact, he cocked his head, exposing his gland even more.

**—**

Ryuji ignored the stares he received courtesy of the Alpha scent he carried. He had a new mail from Akira; the Omega would return to school tomorrow, but Ryuji was to keep his distance. _Thank you for being understanding_.

“Idiot.” Ryuji muttered the term of endearment aloud as he typed it out and sent it off as a reply. Yusuke was meeting Akira tomorrow, so he had the entire day to plan would they would do for their reunion.

* * *

"Good luck," Ann whispered fiercely.

Akira's question died on his lips, the delicious scent having already reached him. Today was the day he promised they would talk. He zipped his school case shut and rose from his chair with a nervous smile directed at his friend. Ann gave him two thumbs up with a wide grin.  

Ryuji relaxed once Akira stopped right in front of him and nodded his head toward the open door. "We're going to Ogikubo." He pushed away from the wall, only to stop himself before taking the lead. His eyebrows rose in question. It wasn’t an order; Akira had every opportunity to challenge him or decline the invitation. Sometimes he wondered if Ryuji even had the ability to make an Omega submit.

"Sorry I can’t afford sushi for our first date," Ryuji elaborated, his voice dropping to a low mumble. He rubbed the back of his neck, hand lingering over his scent gland.  

Why had his mind been clouded with doubt before? Adjusting his glasses, the brunet smiled behind his hand. "Let's go for _monjayaki_ instead."

Ryuji grinned, slung an arm around the brunet's neck, and dragged Akira from the classroom.

**—**

At the entrance to magenta line, Ryuji plastered himself to Akira's back, forcing them both through the gates after he tapped his rail pass. The attendant's shouts were drowned out by the arriving transit they raced for. Ryuji collapsed against the opposite door once they were inside, body shaking as he laughed. His arm was still wrapped around Akira's waist, the Omega having no intention of removing it.

Was it ridiculous to feel elated that the "tap" was for him after all? _No_. Akira let his head fall against Ryuji's shoulder as he shared in the blond's laughter.

**xxx**

Just as teenage boys would, they ate their weight in _monjayaki_ to the point that they almost felt sick. Ryuji decided they take the long way back to the station to walk off some of the food. They also needed to talk. He kept his hands to himself and maintained a reasonable distance.

Akira had _questions_ , but feared this dream would come to an end if he voiced them. He started at the brush against his fingers, and looked down to see Ryuji's hand beside his. With a warmth spreading through him, Akira curled his fingers with the blond's in a tentative hold.

Ryuji inhaled deeply. He tilted his head, dragging Akira closer courtesy of their joined hands. "Yusuke said you smell like a spice shop." He grinned, "Between the three of us, we make a meal."

Well-seasoned ramen and an exquisite blend of coffee. That _did_ sound like an enjoyable meal. "Does this mean... we're all mates?" Akira’s fingers twitched in Ryuji’s gentle hold. “It’s just… I’ve heard that mates are kinda drawn to each other. An Omega in heat attracts Alphas and Betas, but the scents of our mates… are always pleasant.”

“Funny that you mention that…” Ryuji stopped walking and faced the brunet. The expression on his face was one Akira knew to coincide with track and field. Which meant the next words out of Ryuji's mouth would be serious. So when Ryuji continued with "Wanna hear a story?", Akira made no effort to stop the laugh that escaped him before he replied, "Yeah."

Akira took in their surroundings, lips pursed in thought. A street filled with couples and salary men and women alike was no place for a courting pair to discuss their feelings, and so he suggested they return to Leblanc for the evening. "It's not far from where you live," he pointed out. "And this way, you can leave whenever you're ready and not have to worry about missing the last train."

Ryuji stared at him, unblinking, and a self-conscious feeling slowly creeped up the back of the brunet’s neck. Had that been the wrong suggestion?

Ryuji leaned into his personal space, hand curling around the back of his neck, right over his scent glands. "I love everything about you."

Akira shivered at the words whispered into his ear, a warmth spreading from the same ear throughout the rest of his body. Ryuji drew his hand back, licking the palm. His eyes darkened as his pupils dilated at the taste of Akira. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. This was neither the place nor the time. "Sorry," he laughed nervously once he was in control of his emotions. "I just... Yeah. Let's go."

"Glad to see I have an effect on you," Akira said. Where the bold statement came from, considering his insides were a twisted knot, he had no idea.

"You shittin' me?" Ryuji hollered. He brought his voice down to an excited whisper to keep the stares to a minimum. "Akira... You're an amazin' guy. I want to mark you so damn bad and let the world know this amazing guy belongs to me. But I respect you and our friendship too much to give in to that part of myself." Ryuji suddenly found himself with his arms full of Akira, the brunet almost knocking him off his feet in the tackling hug. With a laugh, he spun them around before separating them, keeping an arm around Akira’s waist after they completed a full circle. “Let’s go!”

**—**

Akira finally peeled himself away from the blond when the stop for Yongen-jaya was announced. When the duo walked into Leblanc, Sojiro choked on the pull from his cigarette. "Out!" he wheezed. "Get out. Go to the house. Futaba will open the door for you." Akira tried to hide his guilt with a weak smile as he backed out of the cafe.

Ryuji waved over his head before the door slowly swung shut. "Do we really smell that bad...?"

"Your Omega practically leaked all over you," a nearby young man kindly pointed out with a smirk. Ryuji bared his teeth at him in a humorless grin and the stranger held up his hands defensively with a soft laugh. "You should mark him, y’know. He smells pretty sweet."

Rather than dignify the stranger with a response, Ryuji took Akira by the arm and stormed off. Akira matched him in his stride, wanting to remain as close as possible. He recalled the stranger’s word and his free hand rose, fingers ghosting across the back of his neck. _Oh_. Ryuji didn't have a mark. "How do you and Yusuke prove you're mated?"

"Prove it to who?" Ryuji laughed. "I know it. He knows it. That's what matters. The idiot did suggest I get his name tattooed on my body." He grinned. "I bit him in revenge, but he only kept the bruise for a few days."

Akira's marks would last forever. ' _Marks_...' They would overlap. He wanted Ryuji's at the top of his nape, and Yusuke's—Akira shook his head and moved ahead of Ryuji to lead the way to the Sakura household. Akira tried the door once he arrived and wondered if Futaba had unlocked it, or if Sojiro _forgot_ to lock it. Either way, the door swung open with his guidance and he toed off his shoes at the entrance. "Futaba. I brought company. Are you gonna stay in your room the entire night?"

"...no." The whispered response came from the dark alcove on his right, and Akira mentally congratulated the young girl on getting so close to someone new. He caught sight of her lengthy hair first, following it back to the point of origin. Sakura Futaba stared at them from behind large, round glasses, and a white face mask.

Akira stepped up into the hallway. He reached for the shadowy figure, placing a gentle hand to the top of her fiery red head. "Your dad sent me here," Akira offered in explanation.

"You stink," Futaba mumbled, voice even more muffled thanks to the mask. "I set some snacks out in the living room. If you want me, just scream. I've got a trap set up." Futaba's eyes flicked to the quiet blond. "Make sure you sit in the single chair."

Ryuji gave her a lopsided smile and a quick nod. Futaba's eyes narrowed in suspicion behind her glasses. She glared a few moments longer before spinning abruptly and disappearing down the hall and back to her room. Akira took Ryuji's hand to lead him the short distance to the living room, releasing him to indicate to his designated seat.

Ryuji sank into it without hesitation, leaning forward to brace his elbows atop his thighs. "Ready for my origin story?"

Akira sat in the adjacent sofa and popped the tab on his soda. "Ready."

Ryuji would never forget that day he crossed paths with his Alpha mate. "I kinda freaked out when I first met Yusuke, even though it wasn't much of a first meeting. I'd just finished my circuit—tried a new route that led me around Central Street. I was taking a break when this huge, strange Alpha came up and told me I smelled delicious. I took off..."

Akira smiled against the rim of his soda can.

Ryuji looked embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I kinda stayed far from there for a while. Even avoided going to the arcade and the gym."

Akira's eyes grew wide behind his glasses. "Wow. He really did scare you. Those are two of your favorite places to be."

"Yeah, well... Yusuke replaced them.” Ryuji rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous smile tugging at his lips. “You did, too, but I still try to take you there."

Akira ducked his head to hide his blush.

With a halting, nervous laugh, Ryuji folded his hands in his lap and plodded through the rest of his story. “We’re gonna skip the part about me being an outcast on my own team and just go straight to me not being able to forget about that random ass Alpha.”

 

_Ryuji fished his phone free of his jersey pocket and did a quick Internet search. Alphas scenting other Alphas. The first few articles called it "taboo" and "disgusting" in their subject lines, so he continued scrolling. A subject line of "is something wrong with me" led him to a forum that was very supportive of the original poster. An anonymous Alpha admitted he was mated to another—a female. He said she smelled like honeysuckle. There were even a few Alphas that came out to admit they found other Alphas attractive, mating scent be damned._

_Ryuji closed the page and tucked his phone away. He sprang to his feet, did a few stretches, and headed off campus. His run took him to a familiar residential area, and he hoped he wasn’t making the biggest mistake of his life. He also wanted to get rid of the persistent thoughts reminding him of the weird Alpha. What better way than to face the problem head on?_

_Ryuji paced along the length of the guardrail for several minutes before realizing he had no idea if the Alpha even lived nearby. He dropped onto the metal, tangling his fingers in his short hair. He’d been chasing a ghost for weeks. “I’m… so stupid!”_

_“You go to Shujin Academy. I don’t believe that’s possible.”_

_Ryuji would have fallen backwards and into the street if not for the firm grip on his wrist and the long arm curled around his back. With wide eyes, he stared up at his mysterious Alpha. “You… stink.”_

**xxx**

Akira still laughed despite having heard the story once already. Both Alphas gave him a different point of view and he wanted every chance to get to know them better.

Remembering that day would always bring a smile to Yusuke’s face. Sharing it with a potential mate made for another great memory. “He didn’t like the smell of coffee then,” Yusuke continued, a reverent gaze directed at the countertop. “But I believe it’s grown on him now. Especially since he’s always so eager to hang around Leblanc with you.”

Akira met Yusuke’s gaze with an innocent stare. He felt pressured to make small talk now that Yusuke’s story had come to an end, and blurted out the first thought that popped into his head. “I didn’t mean to keep him away from you. I… didn’t know then that you two were together.”

Yusuke found himself unable to hold in his soft laugh and hoped Akira didn’t take offense. “Please don’t apologize for spending time with someone you love.” He slid his hand beneath Akira’s, leaving the brunet with the choice to pull away. When he didn’t, Yusuke spoke, “I’m glad you’re spending time with me as well. Ryuji still has a few years on me, though, so if you wish to monopolize my time, I’ll gladly allow it.”

This was his third time out with Yusuke. Akira suggested they go to the ramen shop to have Ryuji’s scent with them; said Alpha was currently trapped by track and field practice. He eagerly looked forward to future texts and calls from the art student. He also hoped they could start calling them “dates” soon, but that was too presumptuous of a thought. Akira found his breath long enough to inhale softly. He  was unable to verbally respond, but hoped the Alpha picked up on his happiness.

Yusuke did, but he enjoyed hearing Akira’s voice. He encircled Akira’s wrist with his fingers, surprised at the space between the two. His hands were large in conjuncture with his height, but he still had difficulty holding his own against Ryuji; not that he would ever resist his mate. “You should probably eat more.”

Akira rolled his eyes with a good-natured grin. “You and Ryuji keep trying to fatten me up. I’m a very healthy boy, _and_ I eat a lot. I’ve already done two of the Big Bang challenges.”

Yusuke’s eyes widened and he lifted Akira’s arm via the hold on his wrist to get a better look. “Where do you put it…?”

“You’re… skinnier than I am!” Akira stammered out in argument, taking his arm back to curl both around his stomach. He ducked his head to hide the embarrassed flush in his cheeks.

Yusuke smiled almost proudly as he stated, “That’s because I don’t eat.”

“My Alphas would be weird,” Akira sighed, realizing his slip of the tongue almost immediately. He could still hear the words, floating around them, but it didn’t feel wrong. My Alphas. Chancing a glance at his companion, he felt a heat rise into his cheeks at the covetous stare pinning him in place.

Yusuke took a deep breath, exhaling deeply. “Kurusu Akira. You are a devious and cunning man.” He fished out the bills for their meal, leaving it on the counter in payment, and slipped from his seat. “You have already staked your claim on me, and yet I long for the day when I can call you mine.” He held out his hand to the Omega.

Akira took it with a smile. He looked forward to that day as well. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huuuuuueeeee... I'm still alive, just barely. But I'm not gonna bore you guys with my lame life stories.  
> I just wanna say thanks for the kudos and the comments~ The few comments that trickled in really helped me claw my way out of my slump. I kinda wrote like... a line a day. Then went insomniac to get this posted ~~or thought I would get it posted, but AO3 is crapping out~~. 
> 
> I added some new tags... *nervous laugh* don't kill me

Morgana’s paw trying to work its way up his nose was what alerted Akira to his vibrating cell phone. He eased the cat away, rolling over enough to see who was disturbing him this late at night. Mishima. With a soft sigh, Akira unlocked his phone to view the new thread of messages.

 **Mishima:** _Sorry. It’s late, I know, but I just wanted to pass on the news_  
**Mishima:** _Takamaki won’t be able to make it tomorrow_

Tomorrow? Akira let out a wide yawn, forgetting about the messages the moment the phone slipped from his fingers. He curled his arm loosely around the black cat sharing his bed with him and they both fell asleep together.

* * *

There were new messages the following morning.

 **Mishima:** _Niijima-senpai canceled as well. She said she doesn’t want us going alone, but…_  
**Mishima:** _Akira? Do you still want to go to the Planetarium?_

Akira hissed in pain, stumbling around his attic room, after slapping the hand still holding his phone against his forehead. Being courted by two Alphas was not a major priority, and yet he still managed to forget he had plans to hang out with his friends. Rereading the message, he could practically hear Mishima’s uncertainty and sadness, and decided to rectify his mistake right away.

 **Me:** _Yes! I do!_  
**Me:** _Let’s go! I’m ready, and on my way_.

Mishima’s reply came shortly after, bringing a relieved smile to Akira’s face.

 **Mishima:** _No you’re not, haha_.  
**Mishima:** _I’ll be waiting at Shibuya_.

Akira hurriedly got ready, stopping only to enjoy the fresh cup of coffee Sojiro prepared for him. He was lucky enough to grab a seat after boarding transit, and did his best to ignore the leering stares he could feel bearing down upon him. Those stares, coupled with brazen Alphas, was the reason why Akira didn’t want to keep Mishima waiting too long.

The small Omega greeted him with a jovial “yo” and a grin after their eyes met across the Station Square. Akira returned the greeting with a wide smile of his own. Mishima gave him a calculating stare, brows furrowed, before his features relaxed into another grin. “You forgot. It’s alright,” he continued, cutting off the other’s protest. “You didn’t ignore me, and you’re here now.”

Those words carried a deeper meaning that Akira heard loud and clear. He stepped into Mishima’s personal space and slung an arm around his shoulder. “Let’s go look at some stars!”

Cheeks pink, Mishima nodded eagerly.  

**—**

Ikebukuro was as crowded as usual. Two Omegas in the entertainment district was not a rare sight, but Akira didn’t want to take anything for granted. Akira apologized before looping his arm with Mishima’s. “A single arrow is easily broken,” he hummed in a sage voice, gently patting Mishima’s captured hand with his free one. “But not ten in a bundle.”

Mishima blinked, eyes wide, before averting his gaze so he could laugh. They drew stares, but not enough to keep anyone’s attention. Akira tugged him along as he fought to catch his breath. Once he was composed enough to speak, Mishima sputtered, “Are you an old man? And we’re not a bundle of ten!” He hid behind his hand as new giggles bubbled to the surface.

Akira gave his arm a squeeze and a playful jerk, the smaller Omega falling against his side, but offered no rebuttal. Instead, he took it upon himself to guide them through the crowds to their destination.

 

They walked in a companionable silence that was only broken when Mishima remembered something after they entered the planetarium. He tugged on Akira’s arm, gaining the other teen’s attention. “I’ve heard rumors that an eccentric character hangs out around here.”

Akira rolled his eyes with a faint smile. He liked to believe it was because of the former Alpha tyrant’s rule over Shujin Academy why Mishima never branched out. Akira felt like Mishima would have gotten along well with the head of the newspaper club; she was finally starting to open up to him and shared juicy tidbits of happenings inside _and_ outside of the campus. “Is that why you wanted to come here so bad?”

Mishima shot him a quick glance and a brief smile before shaking his arm free. Akira obliged. They had to pay to enter, after all. “Maybe,” Mishima drawled. “He lives in his own world. Talks to himself about the mysteries of the universe and the beauty in harmony.” Once they had their tickets, he took over leading the way to their designated viewing section.

Akira forced down a laugh, his mind immediately conjuring an image of Yusuke. He held tight to the thought of his second court mate, daydreaming while Mishima searched for good seats for them. An exclamation of “ah!” drew his attention and he followed Mishima’s curious gaze to a very familiar figure that was indeed mumbling to himself. Akira thanked the universe for his luck.

“He’s coming this way,” Mishima whispered, unable to look away from the approaching Alpha.

Kitagawa Yusuke stopped before the pair of Omegas, close to Akira’s side, and across from Mishima. “I came to experience the mysteries of the universe. It’s a coincidence, but it’s an amazing pleasure to see you here as well.”

The first words out of Yusuke’s mouth were too similar to Mishima’s assumptions that Akira could only stifle his laughter with his hand. Luckily for him, the presentation hadn’t started yet—there were still people searching for seats—so he was disturbing no one.

There were times Mishima’s mouth ran away from him. This was one of those times. What he assumed was a whisper that only Akira could hear, was instead a question that caused the Alpha to frown. “Do you think it’s him? The eccentric?”

“I do hope you are not referring to me,” Yusuke rumbled, adjusting his bag high on his shoulder so he could cross his arms over his chest. “That is quite a rude assumption to make. We haven’t even been properly introduced.” His stern glare softened when he shifted his attention to Akira. “You’re covered in each other’s scents, which makes him a close companion of yours, but… he could do well to be a bit more eloquent.”

Mishima’s behavior, so decreed by his second gender, shifted to submissive after being on the receiving end of the young Alpha’s chastising. He ducked his head and whispered an apology. He didn’t want to cause any more problems. This Alpha was obviously important to Akira.  

Akira curled his left hand around Mishima’s upper arm, squeezing tightly until the dark head of unruly hair rose. He lifted his right hand to rest it atop Yusuke’s shoulder. “He’s a _very_ close friend.”

The Alpha’s glare melted away immediately as he realized their relationship was a genuine case of gender camaraderie. Yusuke had overstepped his boundaries. “My apologies,” he told the two, ducking his head in a bow.

With everyone’s attention focused on him, Akira smiled. “We came here to enjoy the intricacies of the galaxy, right? Let’s do so.” He dropped his hands, adjusted his own bag, and squeezed past Yususke. “Now that there’s three of us, I’ve been eyeing these seats…” With a grin, he started down the center aisle. 

Mishima had years of practice reigning in his distress and fear of being alone with Alphas. Akira’s presence in his life gave him a renewed strength, but now he was baffled that an Alpha would bow his head to an _Omega_. Yusuke’s faint smile meant he’d been caught openly staring, and Mishima hurried after Akira to claim a seat. He whined softly in the back of his throat when Akira, who was already seated on the outside, told him the innermost seat was for him. That meant the Alpha would have to sit between them; sit next to him. Yusuke calmly took his seat, practically slouching down in the comfortable chair. With his elbow resting on the arm rest, he propped his head up with his fist. Mishima sank into his seat and sat upright. Pleased with himself, Akira crossed one leg over the other and settled in for the show.

 

Halfway through the presentation, Akira snuck a peek to his left and harmlessly worried his bottom lip between his teeth to hide his smile. Mishima and Yusuke were leaning closer to each other now, and obviously shared a whispered conversation.

**—**

After a proper introduction of his friends at the end of the show, Akira suggested they find something to eat. He was surprised when Yusuke suggested a café just a few short blocks away from their current location. The Alpha was a bit tight-fisted with his money, but then Akira remembered they were still in their courting stage. Yusuke would be trying his hardest to give the Omega his finest—within a reasonable monetary range, of course.

Yusuke took the lead as they followed the crowd of the planetarium, stopping whenever his companions fell behind. After realizing that the Omegas were catering to his Alpha status, he shared the location information with Mishima and chose instead to walk behind the pair. It felt better this way; he got to keep an eye on them both.

Once they arrived at the café, Mishima observed the closeness between the two with a calculating eye. Akira maintained just a sliver of space between them when he could, but Yusuke was always finding ways to be in contact with the Omega. An Alpha wanting an Omega to carry their scent was a sign, of courtship. Kitagawa was courting Akira. That one revelation led to more and more, until Mishima was finally able to put everything together. Ryuji’s disregard for personal space meant Akira would always carry a hint of his scent. For another Alpha to show no outward reaction to a potential rival—Ryuji’s mate is an Alpha. Kitagawa is Ryuji’s mate. Akira is being courted by a mated pair.

Mishima couldn’t help but wonder if he was the last to figure it out. Takamaki didn’t take kindly to social wrongdoings, and would have put her foot down if she felt Ryuji overstepped his boundaries. The fact that she encouraged Akira and Ryuji’s burgeoning relationship was proof enough. He sank into the nearest empty chair, cradling his head in his hands. A triad.

A small plate filled with mini sandwiches slid into his field of vision and Mishima lifted his head to find a concerned Kitagawa staring down at him. “Akira told me to bring this for you,” the Alpha stated. “He said it’s not the usual steak dinner you crave, but it will have to do.”

“Congratulations,” came out of Mishima’s mouth rather than thanks. He meant it, though, and punctuated the praise with a wide grin.

Kitagawa’s eyes widened almost comically, and he turned his entire body towards the front of the café where Akira was still choosing food. The fact that Akira turned around almost instantly solidified Mishima’s belief that they would be wonderful mates. Not even bonded yet, and they were already alert to their partner’s emotions.

Akira quickly made his way to the corner table and slid into the seat in front of Mishima. “What’s wrong?” Yusuke, who stood behind his chair, leaned down to whisper in his ear. Akira’s eyes widened. “I… was going to tell everyone—”

“I’m happy for you,” Mishima interjected, cutting off what would be an explanation of excuses. At Akira’s skeptical stare, he crossed his arms over his chest, widening his smile. “I am. Thanks to you, I think I’ve realized that I’m not ready to find a mate.” He let his gaze move to Kitagawa before sweeping back down to Akira. “You're perfect for each other, but I don't think I would be able to handle the constant scent marking.”

Akira’s wide eyes slid shut as he laughed softly. Of course, Yusuke was the one that gave them away. “Yusuke does that for his own perverted pleasure.” The Alpha sputtered, his cheeks coloring in embarrassment. The admission shared with him in the privacy of his room would remain in his heart. Once they were mated, he would gladly scent mark Yusuke as much as he desired.

Mishima’s arms slid apart, his hands falling into his lap. He found himself laughing softly. “I’m not surprised that you managed to hook two Alphas that are barely Alphas.” His only experience were the ones from his old middle school, and those at Shujin Academy. The Alphas that tossed their second gender and scent around when they stumbled across an Omega. Maybe this is what Alphas were truly like.

Yusuke returned the smile the small Omega gave him. He had worried for no reason. Akira seemed to attract a certain type, and Yusuke delighted in being introduced to his court mate’s extended family and friends. 

**xxx**

Akira radiated happiness for the rest of the day. Scent be damned—his body language made it very clear. Not only did he get to spend the day with one of his court mates, the first person that learned of his being in a triad congratulated him. Mishima called Yusuke eccentric when they parted ways, but it was done so with a grin, and received with a smile.

Akira knew the moment couldn’t last forever. He never imagined it would be a repeat of the event that made his parents ship him off to parts unknown.

Still buzzing with excitement by the end of the day, Akira forgot the cardinal rule: lock up after Sojiro left. He was wrist deep in soapy water, cleaning a handful of dishes in the small kitchen, when the bell on the front door chimed. Akira froze, his blood running cold. Sojiro would call the café if he forgot anything, and always announced his presence when he returned. He removed his hands from the lukewarm water, and dried them in his apron as he slowly and cautiously turned around.

Akira scented the air and found that his intruder was a Beta. While not as dangerous as an Alpha, they still posed a threat to Omegas. Whoever they were, they had gone no further than the front door. His mind worked overtime, supplying him with “what if” situations as he cautiously made his way out of the small kitchen. Had someone seen the lights and thought LeBlanc was still open? What if someone next door wandered in, drunk? What if the café was getting robbed? He hoped all answers were “no”.

Unfortunately for him, someone _had_ wandered into the café. Akira rounded the corner of the counter, forcing a smile onto his face for the young man standing just inside the door. His eyes flickered downward and he noticed immediately that the deadbolt had been locked. Lifting his gaze, he realized he’d been made. The brunet’s innocent smile was gone, replaced with a knowing smirk.

Akira maintained his own smile as he reached into his pocket for his phone. “I’m sorry, sir, but I have to ask you to leave. We’re closed for the evening.” He took his eyes off the Beta long enough to open his messages. “You can come back tomorr—”

The taller figure was suddenly in his space, and his phone was snatched from his hands. Akira reached for the mobile device, but the man’s free arm wound around his waist, spinning him so his back was against the Beta’s front. He only managed to send "zxd" to Futaba as his finger moved across the touch screen.

Pleased with the results, the stranger set the phone down atop the counter and gave the Omega his full attention. "I'm glad you don't remember me."

Akira shuddered in disgust at the wandering hands sliding up his sides. He threw back an elbow, managing to free himself from the lax hold, and made a hasty grab for his phone. Pain bloomed across his face, and Akira counted himself lucky that he missed the booths as he fell from the hard hit. Darkness suddenly surrounded him, and he wondered if he was passing out, but the hands pinning his arms to the floor had a painful grip and that pain was a reminder that he was still conscious. Leblanc’s lights were now turned off, and his glasses were lost in the darkness of the shop.

“Shit,” the Beta muttered, lowering his head to Akira’s chest. “I didn’t mean to hit you. Sorry. You just smell so _damn_ good.”

“That’s no reason to hit someone!” Akira wondered if he’d yelled loud enough for any bystanders outside to be concerned.

“Shut up,” was hissed against his lips.

Akira’s mouth snapped shut. Not to ward off the disgusting feeling, but out of obedience. This man was a Beta. He had no reason to bare his neck to a _Beta_.

"I warned your partner that night… how amazing you smelled."

Akira let out a whimper as his scent gland was licked, terror flooding through him, but found he was only able to writhe in protest.

"Imagine my surprise when I saw you with _another_ Alpha.”

“Stalker,” Akira wheezed, forcing his voice to be heard around the invisible grip on his throat.

“You must be a sweet ass to snag two,” the Beta continued, ignoring the accusation. “…is what I thought, but none of them marked you yet. They’re both stupid."

Akira’s eyes widened at the nip to his scent gland, and he fought his hardest to free himself, thrashing and bucking against the body pinning him down. He managed to throw the man off and attempted to crawl up the stairs to his room. His ankle was grabbed before he could shuffle too far, and he was dragged back along the floor. Hot tears spilled down his cheeks, partly out of fear, but also anger; anger, because he could do nothing to protect himself. Just like _that_ time.

“Guess I'll sample you first myself and see if they still want spoiled goods," was hummed against the back of his neck, and Akira screamed into the darkness of the shop.

The hand around his ankle disappeared, reappearing moments later on the back of his head to press his face into the cool floor. The man above him roared, “ _Shut up_ ”, and Akira felt his entire body seize up. His mouth clamped shut so quickly, he bit into his tongue, but the taste of blood went unnoticed. The thick and heady scent that washed over him forced his mind to shut down. The only choice he had was to obey. _Alpha_. How?!

As if reading his thoughts, the _Alpha_ chuckled darkly against the shell of Akira’s ear, "Same way Omegas hid from the world, Alphas can now too." No further information was offered, and the man set about divesting Akira of his clothes, working his way up from the bottom.

Akira screwed his eyes shut, praying for a miracle. When the hands slid from his waist to beneath his shirt, he accepted the depressing thought that no one was going to save him.

“ _Get off him_!”

The hands vanished and Akira let out a yelp when a sudden weight fell onto him. After several moments of it not moving, he hurriedly scrambled out from beneath it and propped himself up into a seated position with trembling arms. The faint lights streaming into Leblanc told him the body belonged to the Alpha that attacked him, now unconscious, but it also alerted him to another presence. Akira found himself staring at the silhouette of a small figure with a _large_ head. He cautiously scooted backwards when they sank to their knees in front of him, but the lights flickered back to life and made everything clear.

The round head, styled after classic dolls, was usually found decorating a certain someone’s room. Akira started laughing. His laughter turned to heart-wrenching sobs and he allowed himself to fall into the embrace of the familiar scent, one which he deeply inhaled. Futaba. Futaba, a shut-in for as long as he knew her, left the house and came to his rescue.

Sojiro, who had turned on the lights, was currently binding the unconscious intruder in rope. Once that task was complete, he stood guard outside the café, phone to his ear as he conversed with the authorities.

**—**

Akira was a “good little Omega” and answered the questions for the police officers. His attention shifted to his attacker, who was conscious and being dragged to his feet, before wandering again to the evidence bag the officer held in his free hand. In it was the patch, now visible since it was covered in DNA residue and dust from wherever the Alpha dropped it. Akira caught the man’s eye before he was dragged away, and a twisted smirk was thrown in his direction. He shuddered, and Futaba—still masked behind the giant doll head—pressed closer against his side.

When the officer stepped forward and indicated to the dark bruise on his face, Akira ducked away from the outstretched hand, pulling the blanket close around his trembling frame. Sojiro grabbed the officer’s wrist while Futaba threw herself protectively in front of the Omega.

“He needs medical attention,” the officer told them in a stern voice. He chose to ignore the petite Beta’s strange appearance. They had their attacker, and a statement from everyone; he'd let it slide.

“It’s taken care of,” Sojiro responded, releasing the wrist from his hold. “Thank you for your time.”

The officer lifted his hand to his hat, tipping just the short beak as he bowed his head. He knew anything else he had to say would fall on deaf ears, and took his leave to join his partner outside.

A harried Takemi rushed in behind him, arms full. Tears filled Akira’s eyes after spotting the young doctor and he leaned forward eagerly when she approached.

Takemi recognized his need for comfort from another Omega, but she had a job to do. She whispered an apology and moved him from the booth to one of the tall chairs at the counter. With gloved hands and gentle fingers, she inspected the dark bruise covering the left side of Akira’s face. “I can keep the swelling to a minimum, so you’ll be fine by tomorrow. The bruising… I can promise you exactly nine days. It’ll speed up the process, but it will still look ugly as it heals.” She reached into her travel bag to pull out a few items. “The good news is, you can hide behind a surgical mask.”

Akira didn’t have the strength to smile for her sake. Every time he saw the discoloration, he would remember this horrific night. A stray tear rolled down his cheek and was gently wiped away. Takemi gave the back of his hand a pat before resuming her ministrations.

 

Akira noticed Futaba’s shoeless state after Takemi left him to address Sojiro. Still hidden beneath the obstructing doll head, Futaba managed to follow his gaze and wiggled her sock-covered feet. “I wasn’t fast enough,” she whispered. “I’m sorry…”

Akira wordlessly pressed himself closer to the small Beta, breathing in her faint scent. Safe. Home. If he tried to make light of his dangerous situation, he would surely crack.

“Time to go home,” Sojiro interrupted, standing a few steps closer to the duo. “The good doctor gave me something that’ll help you sleep.”

Takemi stood just behind him, positioned in front of the door. The paper bag once carried by her was now held loosely between Sojiro’s fingers. The young doctor gave Akira one last comforting look before taking her leave first.

The shop owner gave Futaba a onceover. “You want shoes?” The hidden young girl shook her head, the oversized mask she wore barely moving. “Then let’s go.” Sojiro turned away, but turned back almost immediately. He bypassed the seated duo and ducked around the last booth. He stooped, reaching out of sight. When Sojiro rose, Akira’s glasses were held in his free hand.

The Omega slid from the high chair and accepted them. He didn’t slip them on, however. Just kept them held between his fist. They were unharmed, which was more than he could say for himself. The pain in his face was dulled by his shock, but still throbbed just beneath the skin. Futaba’s light touch to the back of his hand brought Akira from his darkening thoughts.

Sojiro tousled the Omega’s already unruly dark hair as he passed, and Akira briefly leaned into the fleeting touch.

Silence surrounded the trio the moment they stepped out of Leblanc. Sojiro made sure everything was locked up tight before taking up position at Akira’s left; Futaba was on Akira’s right. Everyone’s eyes followed them, but no questions—not even nightly greetings—were tossed their way. They would become new rumors in the small, gossip-filled district. Akira kept his head held high, even after he walked into the Sakura residence.

Sojiro broke away from their small group and headed into the kitchen. Futaba disappeared down the hall, reappearing shortly afterwards, unmasked and red-eyed. Akira stood, unmoving. Until Sojiro shoved a warm mug into his hands. 

**xxx**

Akira didn’t dream or have any night terrors. Under Futaba’s watchful eye, he experienced a calm sleep thanks to Takemi’s special blend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> H.O.P.E.F.U.L.Y... I won't disappear again? I kinda have the next chapter half-done, only because I broke it away from this; it was getting too long.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...it's gonna be _MAY_!  
>  I was really trying to get this out before May, so it would be like... less than two months.  
> You guys shouldn't have to wait so long to read such mediocre work... *sniffles from the corner*

Akira woke feeling like he’d just had the best sleep of his life. He peeled his face from the pillow beneath his head, and rolled over with a yawn. The opening of his mouth sent a sharp pain throbbing down the left side of his face, and last night’s events came crashing down over him like the coldest waterfall.

A small hand landed on his covered thigh and he turned his head to blink at the petite redhead whose room he shared. He’d fallen asleep under her watchful gaze and woke to it as well. only now she sat on her rolling chair. Her mauve-colored eyes regarded him for several moments. Situation assessed, she pulled her hand back and climbed into her desk chair. “Sojiro said you don’t have to go to school today.”

School. Today was Monday. Akira squeezed his eyes shut, fighting back the angry tears. If he tells Ryuji, the Alpha might attempt to kill the man. He had a feeling Yusuke would do the same, but the scary thing was the follow-up thought: Yusuke would probably get away from it.

“Futaba,” Akira whispered, his voice rough with emotion. His eyes remained close, as he was unwilling to face the day. “…how bad is it?”

“It’s hideous,” the young girl said without preamble. “I feel like lending you my doll head. A mask might not cover it.”

Akira’s lips twitched into a small smile, wary of causing more pain. Leave it to Futaba not to sugarcoat things.

“Take the time off to heal. I can print hospital documents saying you’re experiencing your heat. Sojiro will gladly hand it in to that egg-headed principal.”

That sounded like an amazing plan. “Do you think I should…?” Akira inquired.

Futaba turned in her chair, shifting her gaze from the ugly bruise to Akira’s closed eyes. She could see fresh tear tracks on his face, and held nothing against him for crying. Last night had been terrifying for everyone. Futaba was still disappointed in herself for not acting fast enough. After the unintelligible text had come through, she immediately accessed Akira’s phone, only to forget how to breathe. She couldn’t see anything, but heard _everything_.

“Stay here with us,” the Beta finally whispered. _We can heal together_.

**xxx**

Sojiro stood just outside the front door, smoke swirling upwards from the cigarette held idly between his fingers. He’d lit it several minutes ago and had yet to take a pull.

The thought that he’d failed both his children weighed heavily on his mind… and heart. Akira’s parents were still alive, but the Omega had been in his custody for several years now, and they had no interest in taking him back. Which meant he didn’t have to disclose last night’s events with them. Had his feet not wandered, and he returned home immediately after leaving Leblanc, he would’ve been the one crashing through the front door of his own shop.

Sojiro crushed the cigarette in his hand, the heat of the flame-lit end a distant concern, and let it fall to the ground. He pulled his phone from his pocket and unlocked the screen with a determined swipe. As a rule, he only carried women’s numbers in his phone. It just so happened, that’s exactly what he sought. Sojiro closed his eyes, sighing deeply. “No time for greetings and small talk. I need you to follow up on something for me.” 

**xxx**

Akira only left the safety of Futaba’s room to hole himself up in the bathroom. He applied Takemi’s homemade remedy per her handwritten instructions, then returned to the Beta’s room. Climbing onto the rumpled bed, he realized what was missing. Akira only had to wonder where his phone was before the entire scene played out clearly in his mind. Taken and deposited on Leblanc's countertop before its owner was knocked to the floor.

"My phone is still in Leblanc," Akira told the room’s other occupant. He drew one knee up to his chest, balancing his chin atop it, only to lift his head after the action caused pain to erupt from his bruise. "I want to call Mishima, so he can collect handouts for me."

Futaba nodded faintly, fingers already moving across her keyboard to access the forgotten phone. She pulled out the information for "Yuuki :D" and called it from her computer. Picking up a nearby wireless headset, she passed it over to Akira. The brunet sat up straight and accepted the device. He positioned the mic near his mouth, listening as it rang. 

**xxx**

Mishima took one look at the name on the screen of his phone and felt dread twist his stomach. He stood from his seat and tried his best to walk calmly out of the classroom. He quickened his steps once he’d closed the door behind him and headed for the opposite end of the hall, accepting the call before it rang out. "Akira?" he questioned in greeting.

" _Yuuki_ ," Akira drawled teasingly from the opposite end of the line.

Mishima could tell it was forced, but didn't press the issue.

" _Sorry I'm not at school, but I was wondering if you could do me a favor_?"

Mishima's original plan was to hide in the bathroom at the end of the hall, but he changed his path and veered left and headed for the walkway connecting the main building and practice building. "Yeah. Sure. Anything."

" _Boss will be there, maybe tomorrow, to let them know about my absence. Please volunteer to bring me any handouts if Kawakami brings it up_."

"Of course." The soft sigh through the phone was filled with so much relief, it only added more tension to what Mishima carried on his shoulders. Something happened, and he hoped Akira trusted him enough to let him help; other than delivering his missed schoolwork.

" _Thank you so much. See you later_."

"Yeah..." The call ended and Mishima pulled his phone from his ear to stare blankly at it. He almost jumped from his skin after sensing the presence of an Alpha, only to have his heart sink to his stomach when he saw his company.

Sakamoto stood at the front, Takamaki visible just behind his left side. Niijima was tall enough that she could be seen above the blond Alpha. Sakamoto held up his hands defensively and made no further movements. "Is he okay?"

Mishima looked at the phone he clutched in his hands, squeezing it even tighter, before returning his gaze to the trio. "He just asked me to bring his notes. Boss will be here tomorrow to talk to the Principal."

Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say. Sakamoto looked sick, hands clenched into tight fists at his sides. Takamaki held on tightly to her mate, and Mishima could see Niijima wondering—as Student Council President, would she be able to stand in on that meeting?

"Please stop worrying. I'm sure he's fine. He probably caught a cold or something." What the Omega wasn't expecting was to be shown three different phones. Three different people attempted contact with Akira and received nothing in response. "He's fine," Mishima whispered, more for reassuring himself than anyone else.

**xxx**

Futaba was teaching Akira how to be a shut-in. When he told Sojiro, the man had hummed, "That's fine. We all are now."

Other than the fact that he was out of school, it was no different than the time he spent in his room above Leblanc. After a crash course in computers, Akira decided his brain might explode if he saw another code, and excused himself. He wandered into the kitchen, poured himself a glass of water, and went to find Sojiro after drinking it.

The older gentleman was relaxing in the living room with a cup of coffee and the news. Akira quietly slipped into the opposite chair, tucking himself into the corner. There was nothing on worth paying attention to, and his eyes closed without his consent. When Akira opened his eyes again, a variety show played on the television, informing him a few hours had passed. He yawned and pulled the blanket draped over him closer. Winter was ebbing away, but the nights were still cold, so he thanked whoever provided him the warmth.

Akira remained seated for several more minutes before crawling out of the chair. Now mobile, he followed the faint sounds of movement to the kitchen, where Sojiro was hard at work making dinner.

The dark head of slicked back hair rose and the older man gave Akira a glimmer of a smile. He stood at attention suddenly, a look of concern flashing across his face. "How did you sleep?"

Akira blinked, confused, before his eyes widened. "Good! Great even," he laughed, hiking the blanket high over his shoulders. "I will definitely thank Takemi once I stop being a shut in."

Sojiro smirked, returning to the task at hand. "She informed me that one dose was all you'd need. I'm glad. Wanna help me?"

Akira weighed the thought of losing his warmth versus cooking, and disappeared down the hall to fold and tuck the blanket away. Helping Sojiro was always a favorite past time. It helped his guardian warm up to him after being saddled with a "troublesome thing".

Akira took his time returning to the kitchen, preoccupied with a new train of thought. "My parents..."

Sojiro's hand stilled for a second before he resumed chopping the onion.

"Did you tell them?"

"No," the man muttered. "Your parents..." He exhaled deeply, glaring from behind his glasses. The look was in no way directed at the teen standing across from him, but at the couple that gave up custody of their only child without a second thought. "You still have to call me Boss," Sojiro mumbled as he looked away, leaving the boy with the vague statement.

It wasn't vague at all. Akira endured the pain of his grin as he bounced into the kitchen. He found the spare apron and pulled it on. After washing his hands, a tomato was pushed at him and he grabbed his own knife to begin slicing.

"Thin slices," Sojiro told him, moving with his onions to the pot.

"Yes, Boss!"

**—**

It took Futaba smearing sauce across Akira’s nose for the Omega to stop grinning. Sojiro cleared his throat loudly before a food fight could break out in his home, and everyone finished their meals in silence. Akira got his revenge during clean up. He splashed water at the petite Beta and Futaba fled from the kitchen.

Akira accepted his cup of coffee from Sojiro, smiling down at the steaming liquid. "Thank you," he murmured.

Sojiro nodded, smiling behind his own mug. "You're welcome, kid."

Akira turned away, only to stop himself from leaving. "I'm going to tell Yusuke and Ryuji what happened."

"They're not comin' to the house," Sojiro all but growled.

Akira huffed out a laugh, "I already knew that. I told Mishima he could, though." He gave Sojiro an imploring stare. "He's an Omega."

"Fine," the man scoffed. "But only to bring your schoolwork. And I'll pick up your phone after I turn in your excuse."

Akira's grin returned with renewed vigor.

 

Futaba stole the hot cup of coffee when he returned to her room, replacing the mug with a laptop. "I've equipped this with the program I used to hack your phone. You can see everything and make calls. Until you get your actual phone back."

Akira held the laptop carefully, surprised that the weight of the world was so light. He took a seat on the bed, crossed his legs, and settled the device into his lap. Futaba was kind enough to make the program look like his phone, just larger. She reached over his shoulder and tapped the touch pad. The program shrank, now swimming in a background of blackness. Better. Akira didn't want to see his confessions so clearly.

Futaba climbed onto the bed, headphones pulled on and plugged into the phone in her hand. She nudged Akira with her shoulder until he got the message and turned himself so they were back to back.

Akira sighed softly and opened all the old messages.

 **Ryuji:** _Yo! What's up? You weren't outside_.  
**Ryuji:** _You're not at school_.  
**Ryuji:** _Is everything okay_?  
**Ryuji:** _You called Mishima. You're not okay_...  
**Ryuji:** _Akira_...

 **Ann:** _Are you going to be late_?  
**Ann:** _Akira! You can't cut school and not tell me_.  
**Ann** : _Ryuji's here, sniffing around. He's worried_.  
**Ann** : _Please be okay_.

 **Makoto** : _Ann came to me, asking if I heard any news about your absence_.  
**Makoto** : _Mishima said he will be delivering your notes_.  
**Makoto** : _Is it a cold? Get well soon_.

Akira would recover from the second most traumatic moment of his life, and be stronger for it. He had amazing family and friends behind him, supporting him. Futaba pressed herself firmly against his back, solidifying his thoughts. Her head resting at the nape of his neck.  

There were messages from Yusuke, brimming with naive innocence that Akira couldn't help but smile as he read them.

 **Yusuke** : _I enjoyed out time together Sunday_.  
**Yusuke** : _Next time, we should take Ryuji_.  
**Yusuke** : _Or maybe go see a movie. Isn't that what passes for a "date" nowadays_?

Akira decided to start there first. He moved the cursor into the text box and began typing.

 **Me:** _A movie sounds nice. There are a lot of varieties, so I'm sure we can find something we all enjoy_.  
**Me:** _Yusuke... Is Ryuji with you_?

Akira tilted his head back with a deep exhale. He felt cold suddenly, and knew it had nothing to do with the weather. "Coffee," he mumbled.

"Floor," Futaba responded. Akira pulled himself up far enough to look over the side of the bed and see his stolen mug. It was still steaming. He reached down to retrieve it. Futaba settled back against his back once he stopped moving. Akira took a sip of the warm liquid, eyes watching the bouncing ellipses as Yusuke typed his response.

 **Yusuke** : _He's not, but I took a few moments to inform him of your inquiry_.  
**Yusuke** : _Is everything all right_?

Akira settled the mug between his thighs and began typing.

 **Me** : _I don’t know_...  
**Me** : _I'm going to make a group chat with the three of us, so I can tell you both together_.

Akira did as he had informed the Alpha, adding both his court mates. With a deep sigh, he began his recap. 

**xxx**

_Last night, I was attacked_ —

Ryuji slammed his phone down onto his bed after reading that first line. His body moved on autopilot, and he packed a small bag, making sure to include his school uniform.

 

"... _mom_."

Sakamoto dropped everything and instinctively followed her son's voice. It sounded so small and broken. Ryuji stood just inside the living room, dressed in layers to head out into the night. At the sight of his frantic mother, he forced a weak smile onto his lips. The woman's gaze shifted from her son, to the travel bag resting in the chair, then back again.

Ryuji inhaled deeply, just barely keeping his emotions in check. He had to stay strong; for his mom, Akira, and even Yusuke. "I'm spending the night at Yusuke's."

Sakamoto understood that there were some things you needed your mate for. "Don't be late for school tomorrow."

Ryuji's grin looked more genuine as he collected his bag in one hand. "I can't guarantee anything," he called over his shoulder as walked down the _genkan_ to the front door. Ryuji took a moment, before exiting, to give his mother a brief wave.

Sakamoto returned it with vigor, clasping both hands against her chest once her son walked through the door. 

**—**

Ryuji had no recollection of his travels across town. All he remembered was falling into his mate's open arms and breathing in Yusuke's scent. Yusuke guided Ryuji inside, and the final wall broke. They barely made it down the entrance hallway before the blond started screaming. Screams of anguish and despair. Ryuji clung to Yusuke, nails digging into his skin even through his clothes.

Yusuke felt his mate's pain—all of it—and shared in Ryuji’s suffering. He did so silently, becoming the pillar of support the other Alpha needed.

“ _Yusuke_!” Ryuji pushed against the taller teen, toppling them both to the floor. Yusuke didn’t wince. He simply held on tighter as Ryuji began thrashing. “Why?!”

“Because some humans are depraved savages,” Yusuke whispered, combing his fingers through Ryuji’s short locks before smoothing them down his neck. He repeated the process for what felt like hours until Ryuji finally fell motionless against his body.

Ryuji screamed himself to tears, his throat raw and voice hoarse.

**—**

A good night’s sleep was the furthest thing from the couple’s mind when they settled onto the futon laid out in Yusuke’s room. Their hearts and minds were too heavy for such pleasures.

Ryuji enjoyed the position of the little spoon. Yusuke’s warm and protective embrace was necessary for him to get through the night. With bated breath, Ryuji opened the chatroom created just for them, holding the phone high enough so Yusuke could read along with him.

 ** _Last night, I was attacked. It was an Alpha, and this one was only after one thing_** _._  

Yusuke felt nauseous. Ryuji felt a new surge of rage. The dangerous sort that almost got him expelled when Kamoshida was still a faculty member of Shujin. The fire burning within him was quickly extinguished by Yusuke’s gentle caress, and he continued reading.

 ** _I honestly gave up hope, but Futaba rescued me. She took on an Alpha all on her own. I can feel pride now. That night, I only felt fear_** _._  

Ryuji leaned his head back against Yusuke's shoulder as he barked out a sharp laugh. It eased some of the tension from the taller Alpha. "Futaba's a twig of a thing," Ryuji explained. "This is why you don't mess with family."

Yusuke had not been giving any information on Akira's family. From his knowledge, he assumed Akira was living with Sojiro on temporary leave. Another subject to broach when he saw his mate. Yusuke tightened his arms around Ryuji, hooking his chin over the blond's shoulder to get a better view of the phone. 

 **_Ryuji. I'm sorry for contacting Mishima first. I didn't trust myself to talk to you or Yusuke. I didn't want you exacting revenge for my sake. Also, I lost my phone. It’s locked up in Leblanc and Sojiro closed the shop. Futaba made it possible for me to call and text via computer program_ ** _._

 ** _Unfortunately, because of that night, Sojiro probably won't let you visit the house. I'll be surprised if he lets me return to school after my face heals_** _._  

"He hit him... Our Akira." Yusuke felt cold. “What if this Futaba—"

"Stop." Phone out of his hands, Ryuji reached up to press a hand against the dark crown resting on his shoulder. "Akira is not some weak Omega. He fought. The entire Sakura family should not be messed with." Ryuji slid his hand down to Yusuke's neck, gently pressing at his glands. The Alpha hummed contentedly. "We can both beat ourselves up, but the proper thing to do is change. Become better for him. I promised I would never leave his side—" His monologue was cut short by a distracting press of lips behind his ear.

Yusuke pushed himself up enough that Ryuji could see his frown. "If I can't blame myself, then neither can you."

Ryuji grinned. He waited until Yusuke had settled before pressing himself back against the Alpha, lifting the phone so they could finish reading.

 **_I should be freed from my tower sometime next week, depending on how fast I heal. I miss you both, and I can't wait until I can see my Alphas again_ ** _._

Ryuji tapped the text box to bring up the virtual keyboard, but no words came to mind in his attempt to reply to Akira’s confession. There were no words to cover what he was feeling. He wanted Akira with them; he wanted to hold his mate tight and comfort him. Akira didn’t deserve this. _No one_ deserved such immoral treatment. The phone was tugged from his fingers and Ryuji let the device slip free.

Once the message was sent, Yusuke locked the phone and placed it at the head of the futon. He slipped his arms around Ryuji, pulling him impossibly closer. “He’s safe,” he whispered against the blond crown. “We’ll see him again next week.”

Ryuji’s hands covered Yusuke’s, holding on tightly. “Scent mark me?”

“Of course,” Yusuke murmured, already nosing at the nape of Ryuji’s neck.

Ryuji didn’t care who stared tomorrow. Yusuke was his mate—his sanity and sanctuary—and he would proudly wear his scent. Now that he knew the real reason behind Akira’s absence, it would keep him calm as time passed agonizingly slowly.

**xxx**

**Yusuke** : _Thank you for sharing that information with us_.  
**Yusuke:** _We’re both at a loss for words right now, but know we’re wishing you a speedy recovery_.  
**Yusuke:** _When we can finally get our hands on you, we might not let go_.  
**Yusuke** : _Sweet dreams, Akira_.

 

Akira moved into the guest room that night. He felt the extra surveillance was no longer necessary. He’d conquered his fears by telling his court mates the truth and felt much better after doing so. Akira also didn’t like the idea of constantly taking Futaba’s bed away from her. “ _I don’t sleep_ ,” was her argument, but that didn’t stop him from airing out a futon.

As a safety precaution, Akira brewed another mug of Takemi’s concoction to help him fall asleep.

* * *

Akira returned to Futaba’s room the following morning. The redhead let him in without hesitation, pushing the door shut with her foot once he’d entered. Her hands were occupied by the cell phone she held.

Akira sighed loudly, flopping backwards onto the bed. This was Futaba's domain, so of course she wouldn't be bored. He had nothing of his here. None of his books or the retro game system he picked up at the corner shop. Akira rolled onto his side with a blush and a smile. Ryuji enjoyed those games very much.

“Don’t stink up my room,” Futaba grumbled, folding herself comfortably into the computer chair.

Akira rolled back over, glaring playfully at Futaba’s back. “I don’t stink.”

“How cute that you think so,” Futaba hummed. “When was your last shower?”

Akira sat up slowly, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. His last bath had been Sunday night. He’d scrubbed his skin raw to remove all traces of the vile Alpha.

Futaba’s scoff broke through his thoughts and he flushed in embarrassment. “Considering everything that’s happened, it’s not a big deal that you forgot. You like using the bathhouse across the street, and it was taken away from you. Sojiro might not let you use it by yourself anymore.”

Akira rubbed the back of his neck, fingers lingering over the spot that once housed his Beta patches. He wasn’t running away, but he might not go to the bathhouse without company or without a patch. “I’ll sho—”

A sharp rapping on the door interrupted the Omega’s comment. Futaba gave him an apologetic smile before pulling a sheet of paper from a small stack on her desk. She then handed it to Akira. He, in turn, slipped the printed hospital form beneath the door. "I don't think I have to warn you," Sojiro called through the closed door, "But stay out of trouble. I'm keeping the shop closed until next week." _So I can keep an eye on you_ , was heard loud and clear even though the words were never uttered.

"It's not like I'm losing much," the shop owner muttered before walking away from the closed door.

Akira remained standing in front of the door even after Sojiro’s footsteps had faded. “I’ll go get cleaned up, then make us some breakfast. How does that sound?” He glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Futaba gave him a thumbs-up, her face still buried in her phone. If anything, the device was even closer now. With a soft laugh, Akira took his leave.

 

Refreshed and energized after his shower, Akira stood by his words and made breakfast. He decided to spoil Futaba even more by delivering it to her room. She returned to the kitchen once they were finished, and helped him with cleaning up. After that, they parted ways. Akira stayed out in the living room.

It was there Sojiro found him when he returned home. He tossed the phone onto the cushion beside the teen before disappearing into his own room.

Akira didn’t bother checking it when he picked up the device. Two days with numerous messages and phone calls—the battery had certainly died. He took it to Futaba’s room, easily finding a charger to plug it into, and headed back out. The daytime show he stumbled across while channel surfing was proving to be interesting.

 **—**  

Akira was surprised when Sojiro called for him after answering the door later that afternoon. No one should be able to visit him other than— Eyes wide, Akira tumbled from the bed, just barely catching himself before he hit the floor, and rushed out of his temporary room. Now in the hall, he could clearly see Mishima standing in the open doorway. The other Omega freed a hand from his school case to execute a small wave.

Akira made sure to return it. It was the tender tightness in his face as he smiled that reminded him he still sported the ugly reminder of that night. No point in hiding now when his every intention was revealing the truth. Taking a deep breath, he marched himself down the hallway.

Sojiro invited the small Omega into the house so he could meet his charge halfway. He muttered about juice and disappeared into the kitchen.

Mishima’s smile fell slipped away the second his gaze landed on Akira’s face. His eyes grew wide, shimmering brightly with numerous emotions. When he finally found it to speak, his voice was just barely above a whisper, “…what happened?” His first thought, and his worst fear, was that Kamoshida decided to take revenge on the boy that ruined his life, but that wasn’t possible.

Akira smiled sheepishly. “Let’s go sit down.” He led the way to the living room, taking the seat on the couch, adjacent to the single chair Mishima plopped himself into.

Sojiro made a reappearance not long after the duo made themselves comfortable, leaving cold tea on the table for the boys. “Going out,” he muttered. “Not too far. Just to the supermarket. We need groceries.” He scoffed, following the noise with a resigned sigh, “I’m feeding two bottomless pits.” And walked away.

Mishima didn’t think he ate a lot. The confusion must have shown on his face because Akira grinned at him, shaking his head to dismiss the one-sided conversation. “Take care, Sojiro!” the bespectacled Omega called after the retreating figure. Sojiro waved over his shoulder before disappearing down the hall and out the front door.

The two Omegas sat in silence for several moments, long and almost awkward, until Akira finally grinned, putting his left cheek on display. “I got attacked Sunday night, after we left the planetarium.” His grin dimmed. “I guess I was too happy. Put off too much pheromones.” He peeked at the wide-eyed Mishima from over the tops of his glasses.

Mishima was struck dumb and speechless. He couldn’t find any words, but his body moved on autopilot, guided by his instincts. Mishima stretched across the space separating them and cupped his hands around Akira’s head. He pulled him in close, pressing their foreheads together.  

Akira inhaled. There was no distinct aroma coming from the other Omega, but his presence was calming and comforting. Akira welcomed the scent marking. When they finally separated, Akira felt almost refreshed. “I already told Ryuji and Yusuke what happened,” he explained when Mishima moved back to his abandoned chair. “And I figured I owed you an honest explanation since you came all this way.

"Just… don’t feel bad for me. Knowing I have the support of my friends and family makes me stronger." To prove his point, Akira lifted an arm and made a muscle. “I haven’t had a nightmare since the attack.” Instead, he dreamed about his Alphas (in courting). He was rewarded with a carefree laugh from his fellow Omega. It was cute sound Akira wanted to cherish. Remembering a past best left forgotten, Akira vowed to always keep his friend happy. A soft chuckle escaped after realizing Mishima was doing the same for him as well. "We're an odd pair of Omegas. Most don't get close enough to form bonds like we've done."

"I thought..." Mishima trailed off, not knowing how to finish his current thought. His knowledge of second genders was limited to what he experienced and saw online.

Akira shook his head. "Small groups of acquaintances, yes, but none as close as we’ve gotten. Some Omegas can be flashy. They want to be noticed. Those are the ones that end up as rivals for attention.” Mates were second priority when it came to some Omegas. “I hear that Omegas in Inaba are practically revered. There are even official courting rituals."

Mishima grinned. "Maybe Kitagawa's originally from Inaba."

Akira's eyes widened. "That is... a possibility."

The innocent curiousity written so plainly across his face made Mishima slip from his chair to join Akira on the sofa. He allowed their shoulders brush together in a shy and tentative gesture. "Don't change," he whispered.

Akira closed his eyes and pressed closer. He shifted his head so their cheeks were pressed together. "I think I wanna be an Alpha now."

Mishima sputtered, pushing the other Omega away as he tucked himself against the arm of the sofa. "I was sharing a _moment_ —"

"We’ve had enough of those. I was already a Beta," Akira continued, turning his gaze skyward in deep thought. " Maybe there are Alpha patches out there. I wonder what kind of Alpha I would be."

"One from Inaba," Mishima sighed, lips twitching to turn his smile into a grin. This was Akira's response to his request; he would never change.

Akira lowered his gaze and winked at Mishima. "You would be the first Omega I court."

Mishima felt his face heat up as remnants of his long-forgotten crush made a reappearance; those years when Akira masqueraded as a Beta. To take his mind off the startling declaration, he pulled his phone out to show Akira his latest interest. After the tyrannical Alpha at Shujin was taken away, Mishima took the time to create a forum for Omega awareness. It allowed Omegas and supporters to share stories and advice.

Mishima hesitantly offered his phone to Akira. “You can make… anonymous posts.”

Akira smiled, accepting the device.

**xxx**

That night, Akira sent a text to Yusuke. _Do you have family in Inaba_?

The response came several minutes later.

 **Yusuke:** _Strange that you should ask that_.    
**Yusuke:** _Yes, I do. My cousin is the young proprietress of the Amagi Inn there_.    
**Yusuke:** _I’ve never been there before, however. Would you like to visit it_?

Akira buried his face in his pillow, muffling the giddy sounds that escaped him. How could Mishima’s hunch be _so accurate_? Yusuke _had_ told Sojiro, upon their first meeting, that he was from an old-fashioned family. Lifting his head long enough, Akira sent off a short “ _yes_ ” in response to Yusuke’s question.

They texted back and forth a while longer, before Yusuke had to bid him good night. After that, Akira pulled up information about “Amagi Inn” on his phone. Amagi Yukiko. An Omega, and flawlessly gorgeous. Mated to an up and coming police officer, Satonaka Chie. An Alpha whose specialty is kung-fu.

Akira tossed his phone aside, plopping his face back into the pillow. Of course, Yusuke's family was just as amazing (and gorgeous) as him.

Akira fell asleep to thoughts of Yusuke in a yukata.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Akira is now Sojiro's kid; he likes adopting, kufufu (and I like making Akira's "parents" into "bad guys"). No, things with the Alpha aren't being swept under the rug. Yes, Akira will get reunited with his Alphas. Yes and/or no to anything else you guys might be thinking.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mukyaaaaa...! The opening comment for this was supposed to be "Happy Mother's Day", then "Happy Monday" (just a few days ago). Then I was like "...alright! Happy Hump Day!" We'll settle for Happy Thursday (Friday for those of you that live in the future)~

“Akira.”

Akira tore his gaze away from the pages of the magazine and lifted his head to stare at the smirking Beta across the small room. Futaba beckoned him over with a flap of her hand and an almost devious chuckle. Akira sighed dramatically, setting the magazine down so he could push himself up from the bed. Futaba quickly vacated her perch for him, stopping short of pushing him down into the chair herself.

Akira rolled closer to the desktop screens as Futaba reached over his shoulder. Her finger hesitated above the space bar and she leaned against Akira’s side. “I found this video online,” she giggled.

“You hacked the CCTV cameras,” Akira scoffed, his lips curling into a smile.

Futaba contained her laughter and pressed down on the key. The dark video began playing.

Akira easily recognized the main street of Shinjuku when exiting the train station. His brow furrowed in concern after easily recognizing Mishima’s silhouette, standing on a nearby corner. Why was the Omega in such a place by himself? Akira would question Mishima about it if he visited again. The figure suddenly approaching his friend made Akira tense up. The confident strides screamed _Alpha_ and he feared his friend would become another victim.

Futaba made sure to censor the Alpha’s face and distort his voice when she edited the video. The ongoing conversation would eventually give it away, but she hoped Akira would be calm enough to accept it by then.

Akira drew his feet up into the chair and curled his fingers around the edge of the desk to pull himself closer. His eyes widened when the camera angle shifted, revealing Ryuji standing protectively in front of Mishima. He could understand the glare on Mishima’s face, but why did Ryuji look so smug?

This was where Futaba maximized the sound. She wanted Akira to hear the exchange.

" _How about an Alpha instead_?" Ryuji spread his arms wide after stepping into the young man's path, forcing the Alpha to backpedal in shock. A wide grin stretched across his face. " _Join us paragons in society_!"

Akira’s heart soared at the sight of Yusuke walking up to the unaware Alpha, and he leaned even closer to the screen.

“ _Ryuji. I applaud your effort, but the word you're looking for is 'pariah'_.” Despite his face being censored, Akira could see in the Alpha’s stiff body language that he was scared—had been petrified, but Yusuke’s voice startled him into jumping away.

“ _Isn't that right_...?" Yusuke turned his smile on the frozen Alpha. " _I don't believe I've had the pleasure of making your acquaintance_."

Ryuji cackled ahead of them, one hand on Mishima's shoulder in an obvious attempt to keep the Omega calm. " _You thought the ‘loud, meathead Alpha’ was the one that was gonna kick your ass? No way_!"

" _No one's kicking my ass_ ," the Alpha growled, drawing himself to full height.

Yusuke still towered over him, Akira noticed, but never once took on a threatening stance.

“ _I have no intention of kicking anyone’s ass._ ” Yusuke's smile widened. " _Maybe we should talk in private_."

" _Like Hell_!" the Alpha snarled. “ _We have nothing to talk about_!”

Akira knew it was nothing new—seeing two Alphas engaged in a pissing contest, so to speak, especially with an Omega present. No one batted an eye in the direction of the unfolding fight. Some made a wider berth around the small group, not wanting to get caught up in anything. That was all static noise to him. So engrossed in the video, Akira felt himself being drawn into the digital world.

Yusuke easily sidestepped the Alpha’s wild swing, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. “ _I have no reason to fight you_.”

“ _Isn’t this what we’re supposed to do? Fight for the right of an Omega_?”

Yusuke’s expression shuttered and darkened. An unpleasant tremor ran down Akira’s spine. He never wanted to see that look directed at him. And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to feel an ounce of remorse for the random Alpha. “ _Omega, Beta, Alpha—a person’s right is their own—_ ”

“ _Shut up_!” The Alpha launched himself at Yusuke.

Punches were thrown at the teen, most deflected by Yusuke’s quick hands. The few that landed were in places that could bruise without worry of being seen. The punch aimed for Yusuke’s face, however, had Akira raising a hand to his own bruised cheek. It was clear to anyone paying attention that the teen couldn’t block it in time.

Yusuke surprised them all—including himself; Akira noticed the way the cobalt eyes widened—when he caught the fist. That moment was the opening he needed. Brow furrowed in concentration, Yusuke pushed back.

Akira blinked. In that instant, Yusuke managed to twist the Alpha’s arm behind his back and force him onto the streets of Shinjuku. He sagged against the chair, relief coursing through him, along with varying other emotions. At the forefront: a strong attraction.

With the man’s wrist held between his fingers, Yusuke squeezed, forcing the Alpha to bow under the pressure. “ _I am going to say this only once, so please make sure you listen_.”

The Alpha on his knees let out a warbled cry as his arm was further twisted at an uncomfortable angle. “ _Shit… Yes! I’m listening_!”

“ _The Omega that you are seeking to cause trouble for—the one you attacked in his own home. Please, stay away from him_.”

Akira inhaled sharply, fingers digging into the arms of the chair. It couldn’t—Was his attacker not locked up? Futaba’s head brushed against his in a calming gesture and he greedily leaned into the touch.

The Alpha spat out a derisive laugh. “ _He doesn't have a mating bite, so I say he’s fair game_!”

The snap immediately following his bold declaration echoed loudly through the speakers.

Akira ignored the flicker of movement on the far side of the screen. He kept his eyes locked on the blurry Alpha— _his attacker_ , who was writhing in the streets of Shinjuku after either having his arm removed from its socket, or broken. A dark voice whispered “broken”, and it sent a happy thrill through Akira to know the man was suffering as he had. 

“ _There are eyes everywhere, and they will be following you_ ,” Yusuke continued, undeterred by the man’s wailing noises. “ _We will know if you get close to him. If you do, you will suffer. Give up your heinous ways. I’m sure you have a mate out there, waiting for you, so please try your hardest to find them. Maybe they'll be willing to accept you as you are._ ”

Yusuke dusted off his hands and smiled beatifically at Ryuji. “ _Let’s go_.”

Ryuji leaped over the prone figure and straight into Yusuke’s arms. Behind them, Mishima was shaking his head and smiling as he typed on his phone.

The video faded to black then, a small “ _fin_ ” in white text in the bottom left corner.

Akira stared at that dark screen, for an immeasurable amount of time, before slowly turning the swivel chair around.

Futaba sat on the bed, ankles crossed, her arms balanced atop raised knees. Her posture spoke of confidence, and she began her explanation without prompt. “Sojiro knew the Alpha wouldn't be detained for long, so he called in a favor to get him questioned a second time. This time, for the illegal patches. He kept his mouth shut during the entire interrogation, so they had no choice but to let him go... again," she scoffed. "Sojiro asked me to keep an eye on him after he was released." Futaba grinned, eyes sparkling. "I just happened to pass that message along to some guys. _Yuuki_ —"

Akira smiled at the air quotes Futaba used when speaking the name.

"—was in the right place at the right time. I sent him a message with a quick situation summary and he gladly accepted being bait." The young girl slouched a little, hugging her knees. "Sorry about that.”

Akira shook his head. “No need to apologize. I was worried. It looked like that guy was heading for him.” To try again after having failed.

Futaba mumbled something, head now resting on her knees. Her lengthy hair created the perfect curtain to hide behind of. Akira could already guess that her response was an affirmation of his silent thoughts. Mishima would try to brush off his concern, as he always did, but he would continue his efforts anyway.

Akira turned in the chair, staring at the dark monitor. A heat crept into his cheeks as he recalled Yusuke's impressive moves. There was so much he didn't know about the other Alpha. So much he himself had yet to share. Akira wanted to fix that problem. Being under house arrest made it difficult. Akira couldn't wait until he was free to return to school. Until then, texts and phone calls would have to do.

A call for dinner from Sojiro pulled the pair from their thoughts. Akira stood from the chair and held out a hand to Futaba. The young girl took it, a relieved grin spreading across her face.  

**—**

Sojiro accepted the mug of coffee Akira made for him. He looked down and scoffed, a smirk on his face. It was not their usual cup of joe. The surface of the dark liquid was coated with a light foam. In that foam, Akira managed to draw the letters _O_ and _K_. “Yeah, kid,” Sojiro chuckled softly. “You’re okay.” He took a sip and hummed in approval.

Morgana was waiting for Akira when he retired to his guest room that night. “I was wondering where you were,” he grunted, flopping down onto the futon. The Omega rolled onto his back, allowing the black cat to jump onto his chest. “Did you go give the guy that broke into our house a piece of your mind too?”

Morgana stared at Akira with eyes too blue for a feline—too wise—before meowing softly.

Akira took the response to mean ‘yes’. “My hero,” he laughed, brushing his knuckles gentle beneath Morgana’s chin. The feline leaned into the touch.

They stayed awake a while longer, Akira sharing his life as a new shut-in and all the television shows he discovered, before falling asleep under the comfortable and familiar weight.

* * *

Akira was nursing a cup of lukewarm coffee as time slowly ticked by Monday morning, dressed in Shujin's uniform where he sat at the kitchen table. He was meant to return to school on Tuesday, but he was desperate to see his friends. And his Alphas. The medical mask sat to the left of his hand, his bruise faded enough that he could finally follow through with Takemi's suggestion.

Akira lifted the cup one last time, almost spilling it as he jumped up from his seat when the doorbell rang. He took a large gulp as he moved towards the sink, where he dumped the remainder down the drain. In those five seconds, Sojiro appeared, blocking his way towards the front door. His glare spoke volumes; all warnings for the Omega. Akira nodded his understanding, already pulling the mask onto his face. It would take every fiber of his being not to scent mark the Alpha picking him up, but he would be respectful, for himself and for Sojiro.

With a grunt, Sojiro stepped out of the way and Akira rushed down the short hallway to the front of the house. He took a deep breath, picked up his school case from its nearby perch, and calmly opened the door. All his composure went to the wind. Yusuke stood before him, one hand gripping the handle of his bag while the other hung at his side. Yusuke, who Akira could still vividly remember defending his honor, not as an Omega, but as a person. Yusuke, who Akira believed he loved just as much as he loved Ryuji.

Yusuke's eyes widened at the scent of spices that crashed over him. He was not expecting such a greeting, but it was well appreciated. His lips curled upwards in a smile that reached his eyes. "Good morning. I am here to escort you to Shibuya. Ryuji is waiting for us there. We will part ways at... the Station... Akira?"

Yusuke tightened his fingers around his bag strap after the first tear slipped down Akira’s cheek, soaked up by the mask covering the lower half of the Omega’s face. His free hand rose, but he snatched it out of the air and held it against his chest; he didn’t dare touch him, not when he could feel the protective presence of a Beta nearby. It hurt; Akira was crying and he couldn't comfort him. "Are you in pain? I was informed you were not meant to return to school until tomorrow. If you don't feel well..."

Akira reached up with his free hand to tug the damp mask down beneath his chin. Yusuke eyed the faded bruise before letting his gaze rove Akira's entire face.

Akira wanted him to see the large grin he wore, even as tears trickled down his cheeks. "I'm happy. I... My heart feels like it's going to explode—that's the only pain I'm in."

"Oh." Yusuke felt his cheeks grow warm as the worry seeped out of his body. These were tears of happiness, to see him. It would be wrong to leave the Omega without the praise and love he deserved. With gentle fingers, he wiped the tears from Akira's cheeks before cupping his face to bring them closer. A simple kiss to the top of the head. Their height difference created the perfect angle for scent marking, but Yusuke couldn't, not yet.

Akira, however, had different ideas. He ducked out from beneath Yusuke's lips and pressed his cheek against the Alpha's scent glands. A startled "oh" could be heard above him, and Akira was certain Sojiro was somewhere in the house chain smoking through a pack of cigarettes because of his actions. Of course, he had to return the favor. Stepping away, Akira grinned at Yusuke's blushing face before tilting his head in question, baring his neck.

Yusuke whimpered. They were still courting and he was trying to be ever the gentleman. He also didn't want to hear Ryuji whining about getting on without him. He shook his head to decline the offer. Akira's smile never faded, only growing brighter. He bounced on his feet to place a kiss to Yusuke's cheek before darting back inside. He needed a new mask since the other was wet with his tears; it would feel uncomfortable. 

Yusuke attempted to regain his senses during the Omega's absence. When Akira returned, he was rubbing his head and wincing. Yusuke chuckled good-naturedly. Sojiro had obviously imparted his charge with nonverbal words of wisdom.

Akira closed the door behind him, adjusted his school case high onto his shoulder, and smiled at Yusuke. "July 3rd," he stated as he ushered Yusuke through the gate. Yusuke was very familiar with that day. "We'll cement this thing we’ve got going on between us and be the talk of Japan."

Akira's smirk was hidden from Yusuke's wide eyes when he slipped the new mask into place over the lower half of his face. Yusuke found he was at a loss for words more often now, thanks to Akira.

"Don't tell him," Akira added, voice muffled and eyes narrowed in a playful glare.

"I won't," Yusuke responded. There was no way to surpass a birthday gift such as this, but since he was also included, he wouldn't have to. Maybe a trip to Ginza would make for a nice meal, even though he knew Ryuji would protest. "I believe it was wrong for you to tell me as well," Yusuke sighed, lifting a hand to brush his bangs aside. "I will not be able to think about anything else."

"Are you sure about that?”

The smirk was audible in Akira’s voice and the Alpha wondered what distraction lay in store for him.

“How's the new painting coming along?"

How easy it was to sway his thoughts; Akira was not to be underestimated. Yusuke huffed out a frustrated noise. "It's coming along... gradually."

Akira grinned behind his mask and gently nudged Yusuke to keep talking. And talk the Alpha did. Their conversation continued for the duration of the train ride, changing subjects at least three times.

 **xxx**  

Ryuji's head snapped up the minute Akira and Yusuke walked out into the Station Square. His two favorite scents in the world; they blended so well. Finding his palms just a little sweaty, he wiped his hands on his pants before jogging the distance to meet the duo halfway. The mantra of “don't touch, don't touch, don't touch” bounced around in his head, and Ryuji locked his hands behind his head before they could betray him.

Ryuji held out for ten seconds before swooping in to pull the brunet into a crushing hug. "I'm never leaving your side," he growled against Akira's neck. "And this time, I mean it."

"That's fine," Akira laughed. Just like he had done with Yusuke, he pressed his cheek against Ryuji's scent glands, forcing the Alpha to tilt his head to accommodate him. "Even if you can't, if you just remind me to lock up the shop... that'll be great."

All his fear and nervousness gone, Ryuji turned Akira in a playful spin, reversing their positions so he could wrap his arm around the Omega's shoulder. "I can't believe Boss is letting you go back to school."

"It was my choice," Akira admitted from behind his mask. "I didn't want to be a burden to them. He already has to take care of Futaba." 

“Nonsense!” Ryuji shouted, unconsciously drawing Akira closer with the arm around his shoulder.

Akira would have purred if it were possible. If Yusuke decided to bracket him in from the other side, he might just do it. There are always whispered rumors floating about that said Omegas were capable of many things. He was pulled from his thoughts—but not the comforting embrace—when Ryuji checked his phone to find an unknown text.

 **Unknown:** _Sojiro told him the same thing, but he’s too stubborn to listen_.

“Futaba,” Akira smiled.

“She’s… a hacker?” Yusuke questioned from Ryuji’s opposite side, much to the Omega’s dismay. He pulled Ryuji’s phone from his fingers, after the blond’s repeated and failed attempts at writing a one-handed response, and deftly slipped it back into Ryuji’s pocket.

“Something like that,” Akira laughed. Futaba wasn’t just an run-of-the-mill hacker. Akira’s face lit up, and he imagined there was a surge in his scent since Ryuji’s arm tightened around him. “She actually made this nice video. It doesn’t have a title, but I’m thinking it should be called ‘how Akira fell in love with Yusuke’.”

Yusuke had a fleeting thought of his expression freezing in a wide-eyed state of shock because of Akira and his unfiltered words. Ryuji had the nerve to laugh. He would have probably fallen over were it not for the arm still wrapped around Akira supporting him.

“I’m sorry!” the blond wheezed, just barely lifting his head to meet Yusuke’s flustered glare. “This—” He gave the Omega at his side a gentle shake and squeeze; Akira smiled. “This is a glimpse of the _real_ bastard I’ve been dealing with for the past few years.” Ryuji shifted his attention to the Omega trapped against his side. “Finally got comfortable in your skin?”

Akira leaned into Ryuji’s side. “I had over a week to do so. And everyone helped.” He came to realize, that no second gender could change his personality. Yes, sometimes his emotions would get the best of him, and tears would fall without his consent, but he didn’t have to bend over backwards to please anyone. The ones that cared the most were already with him and had no intention of letting go.

Yusuke cleared his throat, a dusting of pink in his cheeks. He was still reeling from the love declaration and wanted to see this supposed “video”. He voiced these thoughts and received a smirk in return.

“Maybe after school,” Akira hummed. “Are you busy?”

“I have practice,” Ryuji announced, raising his free hand. He did so too big of a grin, however; Ryuji was never one to enjoy track practice.

“I don’t have anything planned,” Yusuke sighed. He wondered what would be awaiting him by the end of the day. “Would you like me to meet you here?”

“Yes, please,” Akira chirped. “I can see you’re all tense and worried. It’s nothing bad. Promise.” Akira’s promise came with a fleeting kiss to the Alpha’s cheek as he walked by. Ryuji followed behind the Omega, patting Yusuke consolingly on the chest.

Yusuke held onto the ghost of the touches received, smiling as he made his way to his own train. 

**xxx**

Ryuji adjusted Akira’s mask once they departed the train at Aoyama Station. The bruise was almost gone, and easily hidden now. With a pillar blocking them from spectators, he pressed a kiss to the outline of Akira’s lips. Akira’s eyes widened behind his glasses. The faint hint of spices that always surrounded the Omega grew stronger, and Ryuji groaned softly, “Sorry.  And that doesn’t count as our official first kiss. I’m just… glad to be able to touch you.” 

Ryuji brushed his fingers over the collar of Akira’s uniform.  His eyes narrowed in thought, and his hands retreated, moving to his own jacket. “…shit,” the blond hissed. He forgot to change out of his Winter uniform.

Akira tugged at the left strap of Ryuji’s school case until the Alpha relented and let it slide from his shoulder. The other side followed and he moved the bag to his free shoulder. Akira slid Ryuji’s jacket from his shoulder—Ryuji held his breath, finding this closeness more intimate than anything he’d ever initiated—and folded it over his left arm.

“I’ll wear it,” Akira told the other teen. There was nary a hint of reluctance in his voice, and he would have probably pulled it on already were it not for Ryuji’s and his own school case cluttering up his shoulders.

Ryuji’s eyes widened, breath lodged in his throat. Even though his court mate made the offer, Akira wearing his jacket was the equivalent of him screaming from the rooftops: _This Omega is mine_! “…no,” Ryuji managed to croak. He cleared his throat, hoping his voice returned to normal, and tried again. “You don’t have to. I’ll just stuff it in my locker.” He made sure to take the jacket back before his school bag. Once he had both, he grinned at Akira.

Akira sighed deeply. There was no point in pushing the issue any further. _July_ , he told himself. At the end of their Summer Break, he would own at least one article of clothing from his Alphas. Feeling confident in his plan, Akira ushered Ryuji out of the station and up to the streets.

**xxx**

Akira heard Ann’s outburst moments after they walked past the vending machines. “I _knew_ he would be back to school today!” He smiled and put a little bounce in his step to reach the small group waiting for him.

The vibrant blonde didn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around him. She pulled back almost immediately after getting a whiff of the two Alpha smells. There was no mating mark on the Omega’s neck, so the supposed heat had to have been taken care of another way. “Fever?” Ann questioned, gentle fingers brushing across Akira’s forehead.

“Almost gone,” Akira murmured. “I got tired of being stuck in the house, so I decided to sneak out.”

“You’re not missing anything you won’t be able to catch up on,” Ryuji scoffed, now at Akira’s right side.

“At least someone is being diligent with his studies,” Makoto sighed, rolling her eyes just a little. Her expression softened into something short of maternal caring as she met Akira’s gaze. “I’m glad you’re doing better. These three were insufferable without you here.”

Protests came from all around, only quieting when Akira laughed. Stray tears escaped—quickly wiped away, but nobody questioned it. The Omega wore a smile on his face and carried no distressing scents. Why had he been so worried? Akira lunged forward, throwing his arms around the nearest two—Ryuji and Mishima, and dragged them along with him as he marched up to the school gates.

**xxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note, in case certain lines catch anyone's eyes: Akira and Ryuji were friends since middle school. By association, I guess you could include Ann, but it wasn't official until he transferred to Shujin. His high school was different at first, but Sojiro pulled some strings, because he'd rather have Akira with people he knew. 
> 
> Also, if anyone noticed the absence of Haru, sorry. I love her, wished her character got fleshed out a bit more, but delving into all of that would have made for world-building chapters, and this is already longer than I had intended v.v  
> That being said--*pushes readers* Onto the next chapter!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *le gasp* Another chapter~ I split it... cause it kept growing.  
> I actually had to pull a scene 'cause it felt more necessary later on, so it took a while replacing it.

Akira found Yusuke in the Underground Walkway. He stood several feet from the exit leading up to Central Street. The Alpha showed no signs of noticing his presence, and Akira quietly posted up beside the taller teen, waiting for recognition.

Akira took the time to try and view the world from the artist’s point of view. As usual, the station bustled with traffic; commuters and shoppers alike. Friends and business associates would come and go, most on their phones. It was rare to see someone without a phone in their hand, and it was usually the parents being dragged along by excited children.

“My apologies, Akira.”

The voice startled Akira from his thoughts and daydreams. He blinked away the future of a _family_ and turned to his right. 

“I lost myself for a moment,” Yusuke sighed, standing at full height. He brushed his bangs aside, but wore no smile as he stared down at his companion.  I had plans for us, but now I have this inexplicable urge to paint.”

“Can I… watch?” Akira asked, hesitant and tentative. He didn’t want to intrude where he had no reason being.

Yusuke’s face relaxed into a wide, bright smile. “I would be honored.”

—

Akira learned that afternoon, just how nearby Yusuke lived.

Yusuke pointed out where he and Ryuji met their first and second time. The look of adoration that brightened his face had Akira wishing they had a moment to remember. While his first encounter with the Alpha had started well, it ended on a sour note in Akira's book.

Yusuke obviously had different thoughts about their situation. "Meeting my second mate at the museum, as he waxed poetic about my art..." Yusuke turned to smile at the shorter teen walking beside him. "That's a memory to treasure."

"But I—"

"You did what Ryuji did," Yusuke interrupted before Akira could delve too far into the past. His brow wrinkled in thought as he compared the two situations. "You both ran. Am I scary?"

Akira's snicker escaped before he could stop it, and he was soon laughing. "No," he gasped. "Well, yes. But it's... It's hard to explain? You carry yourself with prestige and grace. You're not cocky or Alpha-strong. Your confidence—it probably scares some people." Akira slipped his hand into his pocket, fingers brushing against his phone. "Like Alphas you meet in Shinjuku going after your friends."

Yusuke's eyes widened before his entire expression melted into a gorgeous smile. Akira rejoiced internally, knowing this expression was for him. With the softest laugh, Yusuke tore his eyes away from the Omega to send a text to Ryuji. The other Alpha wouldn't see it until his track practice ended, but that was more than enough time. Once his task was complete, Yusuke pocketed his phone and held the empty hand put to the Omega. Akira took it without hesitation, slotting their fingers together.

When they finally arrived at Yusuke's home, Akira took one look at it and fell in love.

"Ryuji made fun of it for a week," Yusuke sighed beside him.

"It's lovely, because it's yours." It may have looked one nail from falling apart, but if Yusuke was still living here, that was more than enough for Akira. Also, he got to show off his proficient door opening skills when the lock jammed even with Yusuke's key.

"You are amazing," Yusuke praised.

Akira grinned. His circle of friends was small, but praise was still limited. His Omega instincts preened under it, especially when coming from his Alpha. "Just some tricks and tips I learned while masquerading as a Beta."

Yusuke stepped aside so the other could enter, sliding the door closed behind them. "I'm very grateful." He toed off his shoes in the entryway and Akira followed suit. The Omega tugged off the mask he still wore and stuffed it into his pocket. Yusuke remembered the reason for their meeting when his eyes fell upon the bruise. "That video..."

Akira grinned. His school case slipped down his shoulder as he rushed to pull out his phone. With a few swipes and taps, he pulled the video up and pressed himself against Yusuke's side so they could view it.

At the end of the several minutes, the delicious scent of complimenting spices filled the small hallway. "My stomach does this weird... flip flop every time I watch this," Akira murmured.

Yusuke wanted to ask, "how many times", but held onto that question. Instead, he wondered aloud about the video circulating.  Valor drove him to break that Alpha's arm. Pride clouded his mind regarding his paintings. He wanted the Kitagawa name to remain untarnished. He wanted his mother's legacy to burn bright.

Akira pocketed his phone. "Futaba said she pulled any traces of it from the Web, and I have the second copy." He grinned. "The first obviously belongs to her." His smile wavered under Yusuke's frown, but upon closer inspection, Akira could see the Alpha was a prisoner of his own thoughts.

"Akira.” There was a finality to the way Yusuke whispered his name, as if coming to terms with a struggling decision. "There's someone I would like you to meet."

Silent, Akira nodded. He already knew Ryuji's mother; of course, Akira needed to meet the family of the other Alpha courting him. Yusuke offered him a faint smile before taking the lead and walking down the hallway. They passed a room Akira hoped they would return to. At the end of the hall, they turned left, and Yusuke opened the door barring their way. Akira's hand rose and his fingers tightened around his bag straps. An open shrine greeted him, and a picture of a gorgeous woman stared at him from across the room. Just to the right of it on an easel was the famous painting "Sayuri".

Yusuke left his bag near the door and padded softly into the room. He moved to the far left, where a small sink was installed. After washing his hands, he looked over his shoulder and beckoned Akira with a smile and a nod. Akira dropped his bag at his feet and stumbled into the room. Taking a quick glance around, he realized they were surrounded by various paintings.

“This was _her_ room. It’s only right I set up her memorial here. These are all unfinished pieces, or art she could never bring herself to part with.” Yusuke indicated to the sink. “That was for cleaning her utensils.”

Once cleaned up, The Omega joined Yusuke in front of the shrine. The Alpha was already kneeling and in the process of lighting an incense. Akira sank to his knees and lifted his hands, pressing them together in prayer. He didn’t know her as an artist, but he could still thank her for bringing Yusuke into the world, and into his life.  When Akira opened his eyes, Yusuke was staring reverently at the acclaimed painting.

“It was a self-portrait,” the Alpha stated, voice low and reverent. "She told me she painted it for me, as something to remember her by.” He turned around, flashing Akira a bright smile, and rose with grace. Once on his feet, he extended a hand that Akira quickly accepted.

The walk across the hall was short, and Yusuke’s hand slipped from Akira’s after they crossed the workroom’s threshold.

Yusuke spoke as he began moving things around. To the untrained eye, it looked like a mess of paints and canvases, but he knew where everything was. “She was sick, and grew sicker every day." He picked up a discarded brush, remembering the first time he ever held one. "She died when I was ten."

Akira's eyes widened and he took a single step into the room, not wanting to stray too far from the entryway. "You've been living by yourself...?"

Yusuke stared at him with a wide-eyed, alarmed look, before dissolving into soft laughter. He composed himself enough to continue speaking, "No, but I’ll get to that. What the world didn't know about my mother—she was a teacher.” He unfolded an easel and set it up. His back remained facing Akira as he stooped and stretched to find a blank canvas. “Our home was open to students of varying ages and genders. To make a long story short, I was under the legal care of one of those students. Per my mother's final request. There was not enough money to make the house gorgeous, not when she fought tooth and nail to make sure I would be taken care of after her passing."

Yusuke stopped moving after noticing the watery gaze following him. He smiled, chuckling softly. "Thank you for your tears, but I'd rather have your smiles. I get jealous when I think about Ryuji seeing them every day."

Akira laughed, sneaking his fingers behind his glasses to wipe at his eyes.

"Take a seat?" Yusuke indicated to the stool he set up just inside the door, against the adjacent wall. "We can share stories while I paint."

Akira moved to the stool and hopped onto it. With his hands between his thighs, he gripped the edge of his wooden perch and leaned forward. “Before I share, can I hear about you and Inaba?”

Yususke’s smile widened into a bright grin as he slipped onto his own chair. “It was where my mother was born. She used to tell me it was a culture shock, after moving here and seeing the difference between Alphas and Omegas. She never told me much about my father, but always wished she could take me back to Inaba.”

Akira had to forcefully put an end to mentally planning their graduation trip. Instead, he delved into the recesses of his mind to dig up memories he’d hoped to bury and forget. Yusuke shared something important; these memories were a turning point in his life. “Do you remember the Shujin teacher that got arrested?”

Yusuke stalled in mixing paints, his features twisting into a scowl. “I remember.”

Akira gave him a nervous, lopsided smile. “I was the one that got him arrested.”

Yusuke’s face went slack, eyes and mouth wide shock. He was already privy to Kamoshida Suguru thanks to Ryuji and what the news revealed, but he had no idea Akira was the one behind the downfall of the repulsive Alpha.

Akira shifted, staring at the impressive bookcase off to his left side. "I found out what he was doing to students from Mishima, after finally managing to corner him. What he was doing… to Mishima.”

Yusuke gripped his brush so tightly, it was a surprise it didn’t break.

“No one deserved that. He was so broken... he didn't think there was any hope left, and took everything I said at face value.” Akira looked down at his hands in his lap, fingers twined together. “Even Betas weren’t safe from this mad man. Ann stopped talking. Her friend, Suzui, who’s an Omega—her injuries got worse. I decided to ask around.”

Akira inhaled deeply, releasing the breath in a soft, slow exhale. "I actually revealed my secret to Suzui first, and she promised to take it to her grave. Gave me an empty laugh and said that would be soon." He flexed his hands, nails digging into his skin as he clenched them into tight fists. "Maybe... it was my Omega instinct, but whatever it was, I knew what she planned to do. She was even more lost than Mishima. Something inside me snapped and I just confronted the bastard." Akira lifted his head, eyes red-rimmed, and smiled shakily. "What I wasn't expecting was for half the clubs and students to join me," he laughed, swallowing thickly to force down the emotions resurfacing.

"Ryuji..." Akira removed his glasses, wiping the back of his hand across his eyes. "Ryuji brought a few members of the track team. The volleyball teams were there, except for Kamoshida's "true" fans. Everyone threatened to take their injuries beyond the school. Mishima actually had footage, but was too terrified of Kamoshida to use it against him." Akira replaced his glasses with a small smirk. "I was scared, but we deserved better. I gave the footage to Makoto, who passed it along to her sister, and well... Kamoshida ended up on the news. No big deal, right?"

His hands were still, brush forgotten. A wing and a prayer; an elaborate plan that had a 0.002 percent chance of succeeding forced an Olympic gold medalist to turn himself in. "You... are nothing short of amazing," Yusuke finally whispered.

" _Wha'dya think I've been sayin'_?"

Both occupants of the room perked up at the new voice; Yusuke slipped out of his chair. Ryuji stood in the open doorway, wearing his jersey and a grin so wide, it almost looked painful. "You guys were so into it, you didn't even hear me wrestling the door open." He stepped into the room, tossed his school case in the corner, and met Yusuke halfway.

Akira didn't look away as they shared a kiss in greeting, and then another that spoke volumes of the love they held for each other. He itched to do the same, but Yusuke refused. Ryuji had a heart of gold and acted the same. It was also a very enjoyable sight. One he hadn’t had the pleasure of seeing before. It isn’t voyeurism if it’s your own mates, right?

Ryuji pulled away from Yusuke and gave a huffing laugh after catching Akira’s intense stare. He pressed his face against Yusuke’s collarbone, resisting the urge to nip it, and inhaled deeply. The rich aroma that was his mate comforted him to no end. It also reminded him of Leblanc, which housed his second mate (to be). Ryuji was holding out for Yusuke’s sake, and they were both waiting for Akira’s consent. He could endure.

As Akira continued to stare, a thought bloomed in his mind. He hopped down from the stool, drawing inquisitive stares from the Alpha couple. Akira stepped up and slipped an arm between their bodies, wrapping it around Ryuji’s waist.

The blond looked to Yusuke, who was just as confused as he. Akira tugged and Ryuji obediently followed. He was left standing beside Yusuke’s easel, but that was soon taken away, and carefully carried to the opposite side of the room. When Akira guided Yusuke to the stool and canvas, Ryuji quickly caught on. Yusuke’s chair was more suited for holding two. He took a seat and patted his thigh, holding his arms open in invitation. Akira happily obliged. It was a difficult fit, but they made it work. Ryuji’s arms kept him locked in place against the firm chest, and Akira felt safe as he settled against his Alpha.

Yusuke had to collect his paints, but he returned to his new location once he had everything. The view across from him was everything he desired. “Akira” He dipped the brush into a vibrant red. “Tell me a little about yourself?”

**—**

The light pressure against his closed eyelids woke Akira from his nap. They fluttered open and he was greeted with Ryuji’s smile and warm eyes. Ryuji’s grin widened after seeing Akira was back with them. He reached off to the side and his hand rose within view, holding Akira’s glasses. The brunet accepted his eyewear and slipped them back onto his face. He was still seated in Ryuji’s lap, but they had somehow migrated to the floor. It was easier to relax when you didn’t have to worry about falling.

“We need to get you home before Boss finds out where Yusuke lives and razes the whole street to the ground.” Ryuji laughed at his own quip.

Akira laughed sleepily, the sound quickly followed by a yawn.

“Are you hungry?” The question came from Yusuke, who was still stationed on the opposite side of the room. The canvas was gone and the easel packed away. “It’s still early enough to eat together, but Boss might have something planned for you.”

“I can ask,” Akira murmured, already digging out his phone. He sent the text to Futaba, and received a response almost immediately.

 **Alibaba:** _Sojiro’s at Leblanc_.  
**Alibaba:** _You going back there after you finish playing house_?

 **Me:** _Yeah. I’m heading back now_.  
**Me:** _Thanks_.

“Futaba says Leblanc’s open. I’ll eat curry.” Akira smiled and pocketed his phone.

“Boss’s curry is amazing!” Ryuji crowed. He was gentle removing Akira from his lap, and sprang to his feet once he could. After a few stretches to work out any kinks, he easily lifted Akira to his feet as well. Akira had no qualms with the manhandling, and remained pressed against the Alpha’s side.

“I haven’t had the pleasure, and it seems I won’t tonight.” Yusuke smiled at his mates. “Shall we get going?”

Akira’s brain finally caught up with him and he combed his fingers through his hair, failing to stifle another yawn. “’We’?”

" _We_ ,” Yusuke stressed, “—are both going to walk you home.” He took a moment before correcting himself. "I'm going to walk you both to the station. Ryuji's going to see you to your front door."

**xxx**

Yusuke and Ryuji formed a protective wall around their Omega, and Akira wouldn’t have it any other way. The distant horn of the train alerted everyone to its arrival and commuters began shuffling into their appropriate boarding locations. Ryuji wandered away, leaving Akira with Yusuke.

The artist ducked his head, placing a chaste kiss to Akira’s cheek. “Today has been… amazing. I am looking forward to every day I get to spend with you from now on, but definitely our dear Ryuji’s birthday.”

Akira felt a tingle at the nape of his neck and a heat in his cheeks. “Same.”

The train arrived with a flurry of lights and winds. Akira leaned up, pressing a parting kiss to Yusuke’s cheek, before rushing to Ryuji’s side. The blond slipped an arm around him without question, and then lifted his free hand to wave over his shoulder. Yusuke waited on the platform until the door whooshed close and the transit departed, taking his mates with it.

**xxx**

Ryuji kept hold of Akira from the Aoyama station to Leblanc. No one dared stand in their way or approach them. The stares were unending, and would be. It reminded Akira of the night he was attacked; no one cared to know if he was okay other than his true family and friends. He pressed himself closer, eliciting a laugh from the Alpha.

“Our feet’ll get tangled if you walk this close. Do you want me to carry you over my shoulder?” Ryuji inhaled sharply, the potent smell of spices. Along with the silence from the Omega at his side, he gathered that the answer was “yes”. He let out a string of curses beneath his breath and practically dragged Akira back to the café as he quickened his steps.

Ryuji moved Akira in front of him at the door to Leblanc, looking up and down the street for anyone that didn’t get the memo of Akira being unavailable. The chiming bell over the door informed him his court mate was heading inside and he stopped his surveying to follow, quickly closing the door behind them. He didn’t make it far since Akira stopped immediately after crossing the shop’s threshold. Ryuji looked around him and found out why.

All eyes were locked on them, and every booth was filled.

Akira shrunk away from the varying stares; he was not ready to be in the spotlight. These were Leblanc’s regulars; they had nothing to do with that night. But he couldn’t help feeling like he was being flayed open. Everyone in Yongen-jaya had to know what happened, right? It didn’t help his unravelling thoughts when none of the patrons gave him the usual cheerful greeting. Ryuji’s arm wound its way around his shoulder and he practically melted against the Alpha’s side, grounded by the casual touch.

Sojiro groaned, the sound tapering off into a sigh, and pushed his glasses up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Loud one.” Ryuji blinked, looking from the shop owner to Akira. The Omega nodded— _he means you_. Ryuji returned his attention to Sojiro. “Yes, Boss?”

Sojiro glared at him. “Are you eating, too?”

Ryuji perked up. “Yes, Boss!”

Sojiro’s glare softened, but he had no smiles for the Alpha. Just a calm demeanor. “I’ll have Morgana come get you two when it’s ready.”

“Mona!” Ryuji cooed. Not wanting Akira behind him, he ushered the brunet forward, stopping only when the black cat came into view. “It’s been so long, Mona! Did you miss me?” The black cat lifted its head, opened one crystal blue eye, and let out a yawn. Morgana lowered his head back onto his paws, ears flicking away from the couple.

Akira laughed behind his left hand at Ryuji’s scandalized expression, taking the Alpha’s wrist with his right hand. “Mona!” Ryuji moaned as he was dragged towards the stairs. “I thought you loved me… Mona!”

Ryuji’s distress stayed with him all the way up to Akira’s room. He tugged his arm until it was released and made a beeline for the bed tucked against the wall. With a yell, Ryuji tossed himself down onto it. The disturbed dust made a cloud above him, slowly dispersing and settling. Akira’s smell was faint. Ryuji twisted and turned, disturbing the sheets with every roll, and buried his face in the pillow. He drew his head back to sneeze.

Akira laughed from where he cleaned the thin film of dust from his work table. “That’s what you get for scent marking an abandoned room.”

Ryuji grinned, rubbing his finger beneath his nose to clear any traces of lingering dust. “Caught.”

With a roll of his eyes, Akira pulled out a new cleaning cloth and moved to the bookcase that held books and other knick-knacks. From the corner of his eye, he could see Yusuke’s courting gift; “Desire”. When he finished the shelves, he moved to stand in front of the art piece. While contemplating the best way to clean it, he failed to notice Ryuji’s movement until the teen stepped in front of him.

“I’ll bring some of the cleaning cloths Yusuke use,” the blond told him. He glanced over his shoulder. “Unless you have a feather duster or dry cloths.”

“Duster,” Akira told him, his shoulders still slumping. “But it’s probably not in the best shape.”

Ryuji’s grin widened. “I’ll come by tomorrow and we can clean it. Then play some video games.”

Akira smiled, “Sounds like a plan.”

**—**

When Morgana brought the teens downstairs, Sojiro was mildly pleased to find they didn’t smell any worse for wear. That incident scared everyone more than they were willing to admit. Sojiro knew Akira was more than capable of judging his friends—in this case, his courting Alphas—but that didn’t men he wasn’t allowed to worry.

Akira stopped at the bottom of the stairs, unintentionally trapping Ryuji behind him. Leblanc was empty. He looked across the empty shop to find the sign had already been flipped. From there, his gaze wandered to Sojiro. The bespectacled man looked uninterested and proved it by lighting an evening cigarette.

“Come get your food before I give it all to the cat,” Sojiro threatened when Akira continued to stand there. Morgana mewled happily, pleased by the prospect of more food. “Glutton,” the man scoffed. “How are you not fat…?”

Ryuji’s hands landed softly atop Akira’s shoulder and helped guide the quiet teen into taking a few steps forward. Once he could, he slipped out from behind the Omega and made for the counter. “Because Mona is an adventurer! He probably fights alley battles, and have a few girlfriends. Or boyfriends.” Ryuji winked at the blue-eyed black cat.

Sojiro felt the pain from his epic eyeroll.

Akira’s internal stress level gradually lessened as he listened to Ryuji babble an explanation of Morgana’s greatness. One of the shop’s patrons had to have said something Sojiro didn’t approve of for the man to kick them all out. Something… about him.

“Akira!”

“He’s right there,” Sojiro hissed.

Ryuji crossed his arms with a frown. “No, he’s not. He’s a thousand miles from here, seeing an unnecessary future.” He looked away from the scowling shop owner to grin at the Omega. A grin so bright, Akira felt compelled to follow it. “Akira, I already told ya. I won’t leave your side. I’ll protect you from now on. I’ll protect you when Boss can’t,” Ryuji added with a laugh, amending his proclamation after feeling the death glare directed at the side of his head.

“Listen to this idiot,” Sojiro sighed. “I actually believe him. Now, go eat your food.”

Ryuji picked up both plates from the countertop and carried them to the furthest booth. He set them down on opposite sides of the table and slid into the seat that meant his back was facing the door. This left Akira with the option of taking the other side, which allowed him a clear view of the door. The brunet smiled and sat across from the Alpha.

It wasn’t spoken, but Ryuji knew he had the Omega’s gratitude.

**x**

Akira knew he hadn’t been imagining things when Ryuji purposely ducked away from his goodnight kiss. The difference between this kiss and the others they shared was that Akira aimed for Ryuji’s lips.

The blond grinned, laughing sheepishly. “Cheeks only. ‘s why I apologized earlier today. Thank god that mask was between us.”

Rather than question it, Akira changed his direction and placed a deliberate and sloppy kiss to Ryuji’s right cheek. The Alpha cried out in surprise, his hand hovering over the dripping wetness. “Dude! That’s just…” He was torn over wiping it away; he didn’t want Akira to think his love was unwanted.

The Omega solved the problem by cleaning up the mess he’d created. A brief kiss was placed to Ryuji’s left cheek instead. “See you tomorrow. I’m sure you’ll be here to pick me up.”

“Damn straight!” Ryuji puffed out his chest, hands planted on his hips. “Now, hurry and lock up. Not leavin’ til ya do.”

Akira stepped back into Leblanc and closed the door calmly on Ryuji’s grin. He locked up—Ryuji shouted “bye” through the door—and turned off the lights. His heartrate quickened at the sudden darkness, and the gliding shadows brought back unwanted memories. No one would consider him a coward if he walked out and headed to the Sakura home. Akira would still have his independence. Morgana’s sudden loud meow gave him a startle, but it helped to drive painful thoughts away and the Omega almost sobbed in relief.

“I forgot you were here,” Akira whispered. “I’m sorry.” He stooped, allowing the cat to leap into his arms, and took them both up to his room.

Sleep didn’t come instantly, but Akira drifted off without the aid of Takemi’s remedy.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! *claps* It's almost finished. One more chapter ~~hopefully~~.  
>  Then, I'll do a Mishima epilogue. A comment on one of my WIPs posted made me latch onto the rarepair, and I wanted to try my hand at it :3 
> 
> Also, I tried to fit the "Kamoshida recap" in as best as possible. Hope you guys enjoy these two chapters~~!  
> And here's hoping to me being able to write the rest of this...


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *a skeletal hand reaches out from the dusty darkness* ...I live. I'm on vacation from the jobs, so... I'm trying my best.  
> It's a "snapshot" chapter~ random scenes to keep the story moving forward. Hopefully they flow well together :3

Akira wasn't living the dream just yet. He still had to contend with school and the occasional Alpha that felt obligated to breach his personal space. Ryuji couldn't be with him all the time—Yusuke even less so—but he tried his hardest. Seated in the courtyard, his latest acquisition from the library in his lap, Akira was forced to acknowledge the Alphas approaching; a menacing aura flared around them. He closed his book, using it to hide the fact that he pulled his phone free of his pocket and had started recording.

The Omega smiled up at his new company. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Cut the shit, bitch."

Ouch. Akira's smile wavered, but he managed to hold tight to it.

"We just wanna know why you had Kamoshida arrested. He was the best thing this shithole of a school had."

Akira's smile fell from his face, eyes wide behind his glasses. "You... You're not serious, are you? He was sexually abusing students."

The quiet one standing to the left opened his mouth to speak and Akira wanted to punch him in it. "Not us. It was motivation for the useless Betas and those two Omegas we had. If they did good enough, no abuse."

Akira took a deep breath, held it, then slowly released it. After he repeated the process a second time, he lifted his hand from his lap and made sure the camera got a precise shot of the Alphas. "If you lay a hand on me," he started, inching to the far end of the bench when the larger of the pair stepped forward menacingly. "I have proof of my attackers. If you destroy my phone, I will have a copy of this video waiting for me on my computer. You're both meatheads like Kamoshida, so maybe you deserve to share a cell with him."

The lead Alpha took a deep breath, inhaling. His scowl twisted, turning into a dark grin. "Maybe if you got one of those disgusting Alphas to claim you, you'd stop meddling in other people's business." He glanced towards the gymnasium and Akira knew he was looking to the track field beyond it. "I'm surprised Sakamoto held out this long, but he already had an Alpha taking care of him."

A snicker from his partner and the duo walked away, leaving Akira alone in the courtyard with the soft whir of the vending machines. It shouldn't hurt—his Alphas love him—but it did. He stopped recording but held tightly to his phone as he tried to rein in his flayed emotions.

**—**

Ryuji's grin vanished after dashing into the courtyard; the bench where Akira waited was empty. He came to an abrupt halt and pulled his phone from his pocket to find new messages.

 **Akira** : _Sorry... I'm..._  
**Akira** : _I'm at the batting cage_.

Somebody made Akira upset and he wanted to bash their face in. That would have to come later, though. Instinct screamed at him to be with his Omega; make him feel happy. Cutting through the practice building, Ryuji waited until he was outside the school gates before breaking into a jog.

**xxx**

Akira had missed every single shot so far, and was down to his last two. He hit the machine's next pitch, but the ball just barely skimmed over the surface of the roof. It rolled to a stop against the net at the far side. He inhaled deeply.

A slow grin spread across the Omega's face as he released his breath, and Akira readied himself for the final pitch. Homerun. He slung the bat over his shoulder and spun around to give Ryuji a grin.

The blond returned it, but Akira knew it was only to mask his underlying questions. "I bought you another session," Ryuji told him, hooking his fingers through the loops of the wire fence. "Wanna use it?"

Akira shook his head. "I'll pay you back," he said, moving towards the gate. He opened it and stepped out just as the pitching machine began whirring.

Ryuji grinned. "Food always works."

Akira could see he held himself hesitant to reach out and touch. He also felt a little reluctant to get closer. He set the bat on the rack and shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his slacks.

Ryuji accepted the small prize for Akira, thanking the man behind the counter. He twirled the keychain as he followed the Omega down the stairs, through the door, and back into the streets. He would wait until they were in the privacy of Akira's room before starting any conversations.

Sojiro gave them an acknowledging and dismissing wave; the magazine in his hand garnered more attention than teenage boys.

Ryuji looked around for the protective black cat once they were in the Omega’s appointed room. With Morgana not in sight, he plopped himself onto Akira's bed. "Wanna talk?"

Akira let his school case slide from his shoulder and onto the shelf at the top of the stairs. "I got called many names other than the one I sign with," he mumbled, wandering into the middle of the floor. He stopped and turned to stare at _Desire_. "Then they made a jab at you and Yusuke."

Ryuji didn't say anything. He knew from experience that Akira would make it very clear when he was finished talking. Also, he didn't have it in him to lie and say that everything would be alright. It wouldn't, but all they could do was keep moving forward.

"I was gonna sulk about it, but ended up at the batting cage." Akira turned away from the painting, but kept his eyes downcast. "I was still sulking... I guess. I missed just about every shot until you showed up." He lifted his head, smiling shyly at Ryuji. "And then I hit a homerun." Ryuji bit back a grin.

Akira took his time walking towards the bed, each step slow and calculated, and accompanied by a sentence. "Life's already going to be hard for me because I'm an Omega. High school is almost over, but then we get tossed out into the 'real' world. Who's to say things are going to get better? But..." Akira placed a hand to Ryuji's shoulder, easing the blond down into a lying position. He climbed onto the bed, knees bracketing Ryuji's thighs. "I have the most amazing Alphas with me, and I'll be damned if I drag them down with my insecurity."

Ryuji swallowed thickly, his Adam's apple bobbing. What was happening?! _Why_ was this happening? He kept his hands pressed firmly atop the futon, fingers clutching desperately at the sheets.

Akira grinned cheekily, the laughter in his eyes evident in his voice as he spoke. "You look like a deer caught in headlights. I meant what I said, but without the sexual innuendo." He was already climbing off the bed and adjusting his uniform once he was back on the floor. "I'll go get drinks and snacks from Sojiro. Boot up the game?" With a wink, Akira crossed the room and disappeared downstairs.

The second the Omega left the room, Ryuji felt a weight rise from his chest, and he took a deep, long breath. Rolling over onto his stomach, he buried his face in the bedding and released his breath in a tortured scream.

Sojiro raised an eyebrow at the strangled noise floating downstairs, looking questioningly at Akira. The teen smiled, too sweetly, and collected his tray of goodies from the countertop.

Ryuji was still a little flustered—his ears were bright red—when Akira returned. He had pulled two chairs in front of the table housing the old television and game system. "You won't be dragging anyone down," Ryuji muttered as he dropped into one of the chairs. He reached for a drink from the tray on the floor. "Me and Yusuke—"

"Yusuke and I," Akira corrected with a saccharine smile.

Ryuji rolled his eyes. "—knew we would have problems 'cause of our relationship. We knew they would increase once you became a part of it, but we wouldn't let that hold us back." Ryuji grinned against the rim of his glass. "We'll protect you, same way you'll protect us."

Akira's automatic protest of not needing to be protected withered away. He reached for Ryuji's hand, twining their fingers together.

"We can't play video games like this," Ryuji snorted, rearranging their hands into a more comfortable position atop his thigh. His thumb brushed over the soft skin of the back of Akira's hand. He inhaled slowly, a content rumble escaping as he released the breath. Yusuke was right; Akira smelled heavenly. "We don't have to, though," Ryuji finally mumbled. "We can just sit here and watch the title sequence."

Akira lifted their hands, pressing a kiss to the back of Ryuji's hand before rubbing it against his cheek. His scent marking was subtle, but he wanted the Alpha to remember him during the remainder of the day. With a smile, he released Ryuji's hand and reached for the game controller.

 **x**  

They played games until the sun disappeared behind the buildings. Ryuji stayed for curry when asked; curry, prepared by Akira. He hadn't stopped grinning, even when the plate was set down in front of him where he sat at the farthest booth. Akira slipped into the opposite seat and picked up his spoon. Together, they took their first bite.

Sojiro waited for their reactions, wondering what kind of concoction the boy put together today.

"Amazing!" Ryuji exclaimed, eyes wide and almost glowing in excitement. "This tastes _great_!" Sojiro cleared his throat deliberately, loud enough to be heard. Ryuji paled, turning an almost sickly gray, and choked on his second mouthful. "Boss's curry is always amazing, such an exquisite flavor! Nothing ever goes wrong. I just never expected Akira's... I've never had it before..." The blond's forehead was almost touching his meal. "Please don't kick me out," he whimpered.

Sojiro chuckled, filling one glass with soda and another with water. He walked to the table, setting them down between the boys. "If I did, this brat would hate me forever." As he drew his hand back, Sojiro tousled Akira's already unruly curls. The Omega smiled around his spoonful. "And you're lucky. His curry is a hit and miss. You got a hit."

Akira pouted—Ryuji wanted to kiss it away, and just keep kissing. "A few people like the curry batches that 'miss'." A few of Leblanc's regulars started trickling back in, mostly the older ones. Sojiro said the eccentric gentleman, ready to start a conversation and chat your ear off, was always welcome. Akira heard he stood up for him when everyone started whispering. Maybe he could ask Sojiro to sit a while with him one of these days.

Realizing his mind had wandered, Akira drew his focus back to his company and food. Ryuji grinned at him after catching his eye, shoveling a spoonful of curry into his mouth. With a soft laugh, Akira followed the Alpha’s example, though with a bit more grace.

 **x**  

Both teens were startled when Morgana darted in after Leblanc's door opened, but calmed after realizing there was no threat. Ryuji shook his head and stepped closer, pressing a kiss to the Omega's cheeks. He pulled back, wearing a blush that Akira found irresistible, just like every inch of the Alpha.

Very deliberately, Akira leaned into Ryuji’s space and scent marked the Alpha to the best of his abilities, hoping he conveyed his message loud and clear: _I love you_. 

Ryuji made a low, rumbling noise, his eyes dilating, now a darker brown. "You're bad news. I think I'm gonna get mauled by Yusuke. I'm spending the night."

Akira wasn't jealous. He looked forward to being able to do the same. "Have fun!"

A kiss was pressed to his opposite cheek before Ryuji stepped out into the night. Almost immediately, Akira locked the door. Once the kitchen was cleaned, the Omega retired upstairs to his room. He sank onto the edge of his bed, slowly swinging his legs up. His phone was in his hands, fingers dancing over the touch screen as he researched Inaba and its traditional ceremonies.

Akira fell asleep with his phone at his fingertips and Morgana beside his head, the black cat sharing his pillow. 

* * *

July was no closer to being within reach. Especially now that Akira was faced with the dilemma of Mishima no longer smiling. answers were curt and he turned down all invitations to get together.

 **xxx**  

Yusuke invited him out to Inokashira Park one afternoon and Akira unleashed his frustrations upon the unsuspecting Alpha. Akira didn't realize they were out on the lake until he was finished complaining to his date about Mishima's new aloof behavior. "I'm sorry," the Omega sighed, ducking his head.

Yusuke smiled, elbow braced atop his thigh, so his hand can easily prop his head up. "Call me a lovestruck Alpha, but I don't think I can find anything you do annoying or irritating. Ryuji on the other hand..." Akira's eyes widened, his lips twitching as he restrained his grin. "He's more volatile with his complaints. You're both worried about your friend."

Yusuke's smile dipped into a frown as he collected his thoughts. "I'm worried as well. I've only known him for a short period of time, but it seems strange that he closed himself off, especially from _you_."

Akira nodded emphatically. He was worried that Mishima was getting abused again. There would be no physical bruises if his attackers targeted his mental state. "I'm going to use my special attack. I'll corner him and make him talk about it."

"Good luck," Yusuke chuckled. Feeling confident, Akira grabbed the oars and took charge of... getting them nowhere. Yusuke was still laughing when they docked to return the rental.

* * *

Akira took a moment to try and pinpoint the moment when everything changed and could practically hear the lightbulb click on when all the pieces slid into place.

Mishima still tried to smile for him, but it looked forced and painful. Akira pushed past his defenses, delivering his final attack. "What happened at the TV station?"

The other Omega's eyes widened and Akira could see that whatever he struggled to keep under wraps was now tearing him apart. He didn't want to pressure his friend, but he didn't want him to suffer either. "You can't help," Mishima told him, his voice scratchy and soft.

"Why did you shut us out? If you didn't want me to help, why did you make it so obvious that something was wrong? We have to look out for each—"

"I found my mate."

Akira reeled back, swallowing the remainder of his speech and almost choking on the words. "...oh."

Mishima smiled, his eyes revealing a suffering worse than the days under Kamoshida's reign. "He doesn't know, and I don't want him to. We wouldn't work, even if I tried. I just never thought the universe would be cruel enough to do this to me... twice." The petite Omega released a shuddering breath, a more genuine smile twitching at his lips. "You're right. I never should've run away. I feel... better, after getting that off my chest. There's nothing to aim for other than the future I made for myself."

Apologizing for something he had no control over would not help the situation. Instead, Akira returned a favor once given to him. He placed a gentle hand to Mishima's shoulder and leaned in close enough to press their foreheads together. He could feel the other sag with relief under the comfort and hoped things would get better.

They did, after a few days.

Mishima received a scolding and a tight hug from Ann after he apologized. As he watched Ryuji drag the other Omega into a playful headlock while yelling at him, Akira realized they were a very tactile group. It was rare, considering their pack consisted of two unbonded Omegas.

Even Yusuke offered his own form of comfort. He came across the two Omegas on Central Street, window shopping at the Taeheido bookstore in Shibuya. Akira saw him only after sensing his soon-to-be mate. Mishima himself had been the one to point out that he and Yusuke would have an emotional bond, whereas Ryuji was just a “hotpot of love”. Akira chuckled at the choice words, distracting his companion enough for Yusuke to approach unannounced.

The tap to Mishima's shoulder gave him a start, but he relaxed after finding the culprit. "I heard you were down," Yusuke began, wasting no time with casual formalities. "Might I suggest a visit to the planetarium? Or anywhere of your choosing."

Mishima glanced at Akira, who vehemently shook his head. "I didn't put him up to this."

Mishima sighed deeply, but the smile he wore was of the norm; wide and carefree. "Can I take a rain check? The offer alone, and knowing that you care, makes me feel better."

Yusuke's smile brightened. "That makes me happy as well. You are important to Akira, and I've grown fond of you."

With his hand hidden in his pocket, Mishima was able to clench his fist tightly. The pain of his nails digging into his flesh helped ease the heavy pain in his heart. If only his supposed mate found him important. The thought was fleeting; here, then gone, replaced with logic. Mating a celebrity would end in heartbreak he didn’t need. Mishima relaxed his fingers and flashed the Alpha a wide grin. “Let’s go to the diner.” It was right next door, and they all still carried their school cases. Maybe some studying was in order.

There was little to no studying done, but Mishima parted ways with his friends feeling a burden lifted from his shoulders.

* * *

Blinded by her inability to go against her title and the faculty—mostly the egg-headed Principal—that turned a blind eye to Kamoshida’s disgusting ways, Makoto banned all entry to the school roof. She stumbled across unsuspecting trio consisting of Akira, Ryuji, and Ann, plotting ways to overthrow an “Alpha”. Now in the know, access to the roof was once again granted, but no one had any use for the open space.

Until now.

Akira found the tools nearby, along with instructions printed on the cutest paper, and decided to busy himself with tending to the garden on the roof. He was waiting for Ryuji to finish practice and did not want a repeat of his last discussion with wandering Alphas. He was tapping down the dirt when a soft gasp drifted up from behind him.

Akira turned and found another student just inside the door to the roof. She wore the school's red jersey, with the jacket zipped all the way up, and carried a box in one arm and a bottle in the other. Akira knew _of_ her because of Makoto, but he couldn't remember her name. She was a third year. He bowed his head respectfully, dusting his hands off on his own jersey pants after straightening back up.

The look of surprise on her delicate face brightened into a wide smile and she dropped the box she carried. The bottle was set down more carefully, and then she was moving towards Akira. "It's perfect," she giggled, leaning forward to inspect the dirt plot.

Akira adjusted his glasses with a soft smile. "I followed your instructions," he explained. "They were easy to understand. Once I got going..." He gave the small garden a loving look.

The older teen giggled. Fingertips pressed together, she directed her brilliant smile at Akira. "I've seen you with Niijima-san. I’m Okumura Haru. Third year, and Omega."

Akira's eyes widened. "I thought you were a Beta," he sputtered. He reached for the back of his neck in a silent question and she nodded.

"I _have_ to wear it," Haru sighed.

There was a story to be told and Akira had at least another hour.  

**xxx**

Ryuji tried not to jump when Akira ran up to him, only to stop abruptly before a tackle could take place. The Omega looked happy, which was always a good thing in Ryuji's book. He slipped an arm around him, unable to stop his pleased hum when Akira attempted to burrow into his side. They stayed that way during the walk to the station, but were forced to separate on the train.

A seat was open and Akira promptly pushed Ryuji into it. "You've been practicing all day. Rest."

Ryuji stared at Akira with a longing he struggled to hide. Akira gave him a knowing grin and Ryuji forced himself to look away. He wanted nothing more than to _gently_ ravage the teen with his affection; to show him how much he cared. Damn his love for Yusuke.

They were on their way to said artist's home and departed at the Station Square. Akira wanted them all together, despite Ryuji's argument that they always were. Akira waved off his argument and plowed on. Ryuji let them into the worn building, closing the door carefully while Akira toed off his shoes.

"I have a story to share," Akira yelled down the hallway. “Yusuke!”

The tall Alpha emerged from his workroom, eyes alert. “I’ve never heard you this excited before.”

Ryuji scoffed, still fighting to close the front door without destroying it. “You didn’t have to put up with him in middle school. Featherman this… Featherman that.”

“ _Hush_ ,” Akira hissed, rounding on Ryuji with a glare. His Featherman phase wasn’t as bad now, but he still watched new episodes with Futaba occasionally. With Ryuji busy removing his shoes at the entrance, Akira made his way to Yusuke, where he plastered himself against the artist's front. "You're my new favorite."

Yusuke pressed a kiss to the dark crown. "I hope we can both be your favorites, but what was it you wished to tell us?"

Akira blinked several times before his eyes grew wide. "Shujin had three—no...  _four_  Omegas!"

Ryuji tripped down the hallway, reaching out to press a hand against wall to stable himself. "Don'cha mean two? Shino left!"

Akira shook his head, now a little hesitant. "There's one... She's like me." He trusted these Alphas; they wouldn't tell anyone Haru's secret. 

"She wears patches," Yusuke surmised.

"She has to." Akira ushered the tall teen back into the room, crooking his fingers at Ryuji before disappearing behind Yusuke.

 

Both Alphas remained silent as Akira regaled them with the tales Haru had shared with him. He tried not to mention her name, using mostly "they" or "she". She was in an arranged mating-slash-marriage, courtesy of her father. The president of Okumura foods. Her partner was a disgusting and abusive Alpha. Haru hadn’t divulged his name, and Akira wouldn’t be surprised if it was never given to her.

Ever since she was a child, Haru said she understood that people were only kind to her to get in the good graces of her father. The only person loyal enough to her, to hide her secret, was the personal driver appointed to her. He was the one that purchased the Beta patches she longed for. He kept them stashed until she could start buying them herself.

_“I started hiding my true self before high school. I didn’t want… the same thing to continue happening. I dove into gardening as a comfort—an escape from reality.” Haru folded her hands atop her lap. “My father told me exactly what he had planned for me after my second gender was revealed. I was to be his trump card.”_

It took some time before a candidate was found. The son of an influential politician. The president stated that their joining would be beneficial to the company—to _him_.

_Haru rubbed her hands together, smearing the damp dirt across the gloves. “He treats me like an object. Like a prize he won. I tried to voice my thoughts one time, but he went running to my father. I received a lecture that night and was practically tossed at their doorstep in an apology.” A trembling smile crept across her face. “Nothing happened. I’ve been growing more than just vegetables. I have a plant whose leaves, once boiled, becomes a repellant to unbonded Alphas.”_

_It makes them repulsed to be around you_. Haru explained it worked so well on her fiancé, he only ever stood by her side when they had to “make nice” for their parents. Akira had a sample of those leaves in his bag. She told him it would change nothing between him and his because they were soulmates.

Yusuke looked troubled once Akira brought his story to an end. "Is she happy?"

Akira smiled. He only just met Haru, but she never once seemed troubled by her predicament. "I think so. I don’t think she’s going to let it hold her back. I wish I could spend more time with her."

"Stop trying to fix everyone's problems," Ryuji growled, pressing a firm hand to the top of Akira's head.

The brunet bowed under the pressure. "I can't help it."

"You're too kind for your own good," Yusuke said. He stood, ready to get everyone snacks, but was stalled when someone grabbed his hand. Akira was the culprit.

"I'm not!" the Omega cried. "I kept you waiting so long... I'm sorry!" He released Yusuke's hand and slid off his chair to sit on the floor. Ryuji stood from his own seat.

Akira ducked his head low in a bow, and slid his hands forward, fingertips touching. "You've been waiting for my consent all this time. Kitagawa Yusuke. Thank you for allowing me to get to know you these past few months. I’ve had nothing but fun. I want that feeling to last forever. I hope we can continue to grow, and love each other over the days, months… years. I, Kurusu Akira, accept your courtship." Akira lifted his head, peeking up at the pair from beneath unruly bangs.

Yusuke looked to Ryuji. The blond grinned and gave him a little nudge. There must have been an agreement, to let Yusuke have the first kiss, because it was only him that moved forward.

The Alpha lacked his usual grace as he sank to the floor to reach Akira. Large hands were gentle as they cupped his face and guided him in. Akira had no previous kisses to compare this to, but he could feel himself getting lost in the Alpha, and encouraged it. Their lips parted for a moment and Akira took a small breath before chasing Yusuke’s mouth. Yusuke— _his_ Alpha—moaned appreciatively, sliding his hands down Akira’s neck, to his shoulders, before slipping around his waist. Akira felt safe and _whole_. Yusuke licked into the Omega’s mouth and Akira melted against the lean frame.

Akira was breathless when they finally parted, his lips swollen and as red as the flush coloring his cheeks.

"You are nothing to own," Yusuke panted, just as winded as Akira, "But I am so glad I can finally call you mine." Akira whined in agreement, taking a shuddering breath.

"That was so effin' _hot_!"

The exclamation shattered through the moment, but made it no worse. It made it better; it was proof that nothing would change between them.

Akira slumped against Yusuke and laughed against his shoulder. His eyes fluttered open and sought out Ryuji. The blond was now seated on the edge of Yusuke's vacated chair, his scent making Akira hungry as well as dazed.

Ryuji pouted and opened his arms. "Can I get my kiss?"

"If Yusuke lets me go..."

"I really don't want to," Yusuke responded, honest. His hold on Akira tightened enough to prove his point.

Akira was enjoying the embrace as much as Yusuke, but kissing Ryuji had been a dream of his for years. The moment wouldn't slip by, and it was well within reach. Despite being trapped in Yusuke’s tight embrace, Akira managed to gesture to Ryuji with a few waves of his hand. _C’mere_. The blond shook his head and patted his thigh. Akira tilted his head, whispering to Yusuke, and the brunet released him with a reluctant sight and another kiss.

With Yusuke’s assistance, Akira was able to stand on his shaky legs, and made his way to where Ryuji sat. He was pulled into the Alpha’s lap once close enough, Ryuji's arms snug around his waist. Ryuji bestowed upon the Omega, a soft peck on the lips. He had years of "want" coiled inside him, ready to snap free. Akira smiled at him, content with the chaste kiss, and he wondered if he was making the right decision. Ryuji warred with personal inner demons. Maybe now would be the best time to release it? Saving all that intent for their bonding process would make for a disaster. Decision made, Ryuji reached out, cupping his right hand along the side of Akira's face. His left arm remained around the Omega's waist, drawing him in so close, only their clothes separated them.

Akira inhaled sharply, eyes wide and darting, covering every inch of the Alpha’s face. ‘ _Please_ ,’ he pleaded mentally. Ryuji’s right hand slid downward, cupping Akira’s jaw and squeezing. The Omega whined, his mouth opening under the pressure. If he were to compare his two Alphas, Yusuke was a quiet storm while Ryuji was a raging fire.

Akira was melting beneath Ryuji's skillful mouth. Thoughts and logic clambered to escape the heat and the Omega found himself bending to the will of his instincts and desires. His Alpha wanted him; his Alpha was going to mark him. _Mine_! Akira whined high, a different kind of heat coiling low on the pit of his stomach.

**—**

Coffee. Leblanc? When did he get home? Akira blinked away the lingering drowsiness and found his nose was pressed against soft skin; a gentle hand cupped the back of his head, holding him in place. Akira took a short, aborted inhale. Yusuke. He must have spoken the name aloud, because the pressure against the back of his head lessened and he found himself staring up at a concerned Alpha.

"I wasn't sure that would work, but I'm glad it did."

"What happened?" Akira mumbled. He made no effort to leave the safety of Yusuke's arms, but craned his neck to find his other Alpha.

"Ryuji went for a run, to burn off... his frustrations. I will be returning you home." Yusuke's nostrils flared slightly, and his frown deepened. "I don't like the idea of leaving you alone right now, but... I don't have Boss's permission. You may have agreed to it, but we aren't bonded yet."

"What happened?" Akira repeated, his mind clearer now than before. "We were having fun, and now... everything's awkward."

Yusuke looked to the left of Akira, brow furrowed into a tight line. "Both you and Ryuji, you lost yourselves. I am almost certain I smelled..." He shook his head, banishing the thought. There was no point in adding more troubles to Akira’s plate. “We have to figure out a safe way to get you home.”

Akira took a step back and Yusuke's arms fell away. His bag! He turned, looking for the object in question, and found it leaning against the wall nearer to the door. In it were the leaves from Haru. "We need to boil these," Akira told Yusuke, standing with the small, wrapped package. "It's from my new acquaintance. She said it will keep Alphas away."

Yusuke smiled, a grim and tired line that barely stretched his lips. "I'm an Alpha, so we can test this theory."

Akira sensed the distance between them as they waited for the water to boil, but didn't comment. It was probably better this way. Yusuke kept a watchful eye on him as Akira poured the heated water into the mug with leaves. They let it sit and steep for a few minutes before Akira picked up the cup and slowly sipped. Haru hadn't told him it needed added sweeteners, and he tasted why. It was a new, but pleasant taste.

As the mug grew emptier, Yusuke's expression slowly changed, but grew more tense than relaxed. "Your scent is still there,” the Alpha murmured. "It's muted, rather." He sighed. "Ryuji would be better at this. He knew what you smelled like with your scent blockers."

Akira shook his head. "Your opinion is just as good. The person that gave me these said my mate… ah, mates, won’t notice anything different. Hopefully this works." He washed the mug and turned it down, gracing Yusuke with a reassured smile when he faced him. "Ready."

 **xxx**  

Yusuke held his breath the entire way. He deliberately kept his distance, but never let Akira out of his sight. No one seemed none the wiser. The few that did give them a second glance usually had looks varying from confusion to disbelief. Yusuke wandered back to Akira's side after realizing he was in no danger. The Omega smiled up at him and he returned it in earnest, feeling the tension rise from his shoulders. It settled again like a heavy hand after Yusuke remembered he still had Ryuji to tend with.

 

Yusuke saw Akira up to his room in Leblanc after turning down a plate of curry. "I'll try it," he sighed after placing a kiss to the Omega's dark crown. "One of these days. Sleep well, Akira."

Akira frowned—it looked like a pout to Yusuke. "Sorry my pheromones got out of control."

Yusuke shook his head so vehemently, his bangs hung in disarray. "Nothing to apologize for. If anything, I blame Ryuji." Akira's lips twitched into a smile. "Don't worry." Yusuke pressed a chaste kiss to the smiling lips. "Everything will be fine."

* * *

Ryuji wasn't waiting outside Leblanc to escort Akira to school. He was, however, standing outside of his classroom. "Sorry!" Ryuji hollered, drawing the attention of everyone in the hall and Akira's classroom.

Hidden beneath the fringe of his unruly bangs, Akira tapped the blond in the forehead with a playful smirk. "Hey. You should be proud of yourself." Ryuji blinked wide eyes questioningly. "A kiss sent us both out of control." Akira pulled his hand back to adjust his glasses, hiding behind them. "Imagine what it'll be like when we seal the bond... with a bite."

"Why are you like this?" Ryuji hissed between gritted teeth, a mere space now separating him from the laughing Omega.

"Because I lo—" Both Akira and Ryuji's eyes grew wide at the aborted confession. Akira tilted his head, pressing a quick kiss to Ryuji's cheek, before shoving him away. He darted into the classroom and headed for the protective barrier Ann was already creating.

Mishima was there moments after he arrived at his desk, striking up a conversation. It took several minutes before Akira could calm his racing heart, and a few more before he joined in the random conversations flying over his head. Ann gave him a knowing smirk; Mishima, a wide grin. Everyone knew he was head over heels in love with the Alpha, but Akira wanted to share that love with Yusuke as well. He would tell them both at the same time.

Kawakami's appearance brought all conversations to an end, and everyone returned to their designated seats to begin the school day.

* * *

The ragtag group of mixed genders rarely ate lunch in the cafeteria like they were supposed to. Today, Akira was glad they had an impromptu picnic. It allowed for a guest to join them. Ryuji noticed her first. He jumped up so fast, Akira, who had been using him as support, fell sideways. The Omega reached out to catch himself, dragging Mishima with him, and they made a pile at the Alpha's feet.

"S-senpai...!"

Makoto's mouth pulled into a pouting frown that had Ann giggling. "He never called me that," she mumbled. Ann patted her mate's hand consolingly.

Okumura Haru smiled shyly, a wrapped package in her hands. "I'm not here to chastise you. The Student Council President obviously gave you her approval." She shared a nod with her fellow third year before letting her gaze sweep over the fallen Omegas. "I'm was wondering... if I could join you?"

"Yes!" Akira shouted on behalf of everyone, all while making a spectacular attempt at righting himself. It was difficult approaching a third year, especially one with Okumura’s upbringing. And with friends that always wanted to hang out, Akira hadn’t spoken to his fellow hidden Omega in several days.

Haru's smile brightened, and her gaze shifted to the frozen Alpha still waiting for acknowledgement. "I actually have ulterior motives," she sighed. "Kurusu-kun did such a wonderful job tending to my rooftop garden, I wanted to repay him."

Ryuji loosened up, his body visibly sagging as all the tension left his muscles. "You're more than welcome," he told his upperclassman, a lopsided grin tugging at his lips. 

Ann hopped up to greet the Beta with an enthusiastic "hi!" "Since I'm the resident Beta, I guess we're being lumped together." She leaned close, telegraphing her movements as to not scare the older teen. "Are those what Akira grew?"

Haru blinked several times. Remembering the package she carried, she held it up, extending it to the blonde. "No. Those aren't ready yet. These were harvested in my garden at home. I hope you'll enjoy it."

"Of course!" Ann laughed. She took the lunchbox, and Haru's hands in the process, gently guiding her to where Makoto still sat.

Once released, Haru took a seat on the grass, adjusting her skirt after setting down the lunchbox. Ryuji dropped unceremoniously back onto the grass, crossing his legs. Akira moved to Ryuji’s other side, putting himself closer to Haru. He gestured to the lunchbox and she nodded. The other members of their small group weren’t too surprised that Akira was already having silent conversations with the newcomer.

Said Omega unwrapped and removed the layers of the box, carefully setting them side by side. If it were realistically possible, Akira would tell everyone the contents within sparkled. The vegetables were the main dish for him, because he knew Haru put her love into bringing them to life. “Don’t mind me,” he hummed, picking up his discarded chopsticks.

“Help yourselves,” Haru giggled.

With permission, everyone dug in, passing boxes around to sample everything. Their group had once again expanded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think a few Notes back, I said I couldn't add Haru, but... ha, look what happened. I really like her, cause she's almost like a "Wild Card". No guarantee when the next part's coming out (it's partially written, so let's hope it's not another 2-month wait).
> 
> I'm actually watching the P4 anime (for research purposes), and wondering why I avoided it for so long :D  
> Oh yeah. Should Naoto be an Alpha, Beta, or Omega? I was thinking of making them an Alpha.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gaaaaaawd… This is why I can never post anything on time. I start writing, and then the story takes a turn that I didn’t want (but was obviously needed) and I end up more with more chapters and trying to figure out how to put them together. 
> 
> Alright! *claps* Let’s do this!

Akira stared intently at his calendar, had been for quite some time. Tired of being ignored, Morgana padded across the work table and leapt onto his human's shoulder once close enough. Akira blinked slowly, but never tore his gaze from the calendar. Time was running out. He could easily ask Sojiro, but he wanted this to be something _he_ did, on his own. Akira idly reached a hand up, scratching behind Morgana's ears. "I'm leaving you in charge, Morgana. You have to stay here and make sure I fall asleep. Okay?"

Morgana meowed sharply, batting at Akira's ear.

"Got it. Time to go to school." Akira gave the cat a gentle pat, but Morgana refused to move. In fact, the black cat curled himself around the teen's neck in a more comfortable position. "Fine, then."

Akira continued his morning routines with the feline boa. Even as he argued his point with Sojiro over a plate of curry, the cat remained perched around his shoulders. Morgana even chimed in with disapproving meows, siding with the shop owner.

After two cups of coffee for the kid, and a cigarette for himself, Sojiro finally relented. "I won't be able to open the shop, and you'll be late for school," he sighed, glasses removed so he could thoroughly massage the bridge of his nose. “I’m only agreeing to get you out.”

With a triumphant smirk, Akira stood from the tall counter chair, all while petting the disappointed black cat around his shoulders like a classic, old-school villain.

"Watch yourself, kid."

Akira gave his guardian a small smile. "I will."

Sojiro huffed softly and nodded his head at the door. _Go on_.

Morgana only left after he walked out of Leblanc. In the process of flipping the sign, the black cat stood and clambered down his back before leaping away. Akira rolled his shoulders and neck to work out the kinks before taking care of the open buttons of his shirt. He left the top one undone, only because he enjoyed seeing Ryuji try to be discreet with his staring.

Task out of the way, Akira hurried down the street to the station. He didn't want to prove Sojiro right and be late for school.

* * *

Nothing changed, other than Akira stopped hanging out with his friends after school. With an apologetic smile, he allowed himself to give a quick wave to the two that saw him off before rushing down the street to the train station.

Mishima looked away from Akira’s disappearing figure to the blond standing beside him. “Nothing?”

Ryuji blinked back to alertness, giving the second Omega his attention. “Wazzat?”

“Not concerned that he’s hiding something?” Mishima elaborated.

Ryuji’s confused expression became a wide grin. “I know he is!” he laughed, “Despite us not knowing his true gender, Akira can be a pretty shit liar.” Ryuji looked down the crowded street, Akira no longer visible. “Whatever it is, it’s important, and he’ll let us know eventually. Since I’m down an Omega…” Mishima’s eyes widened, but he couldn’t escape fast enough before Ryuji’s arm locked him against his side. “You’re hangin’ out with me. I hear you two’ve been hauntin’ the streets of Akihibara.”

* * *

Akira hung out with Haru if he could find the time. Everyone else had years, so of course he would spend a few hours with his newfound friend. They usually spent their afternoons on the school roof, tending to Haru's potted garden. While on break one afternoon, Akira decided who better than to voice his concerns to than an older Omega.

Tucked away from the sun behind a wall, the duo sat, sipping homebrewed tea. "Haru..." Akira swirled the contents of the small cup, staring down at the liquid. There were no tea stalks present, but he continued to stare in hopes that one would manifest, and he would have good luck. "Sorry if this is too personal, but... how do you deal with your heats?"

Haru's surprise lasted only a moment before she giggled. "It's easy for me to escape and deal with it. No one wonders about my absence. I guess that's one of the perks of not having too big of a presence." She adjusted her cup, turning it a few times, before taking a small sip. "I'm also lucky enough to only have a heat that lasts three days."

Now it was Akira's turn to be surprised. He couldn't remember his first heat—too young, too much of a traumatic experience—but he understood they could last up to seven days and were very difficult to handle. Some even said they were painful. He did his reading. "Lucky. Is it... bad?"

"I lock myself in the house until it passes." Haru smiled at her underclassman. "That's all I can say."

Akira nodded, understanding there was a line even he couldn't cross. "Thank you for sharing. The reason why I asked is because I've been thinking about coming off my suppressants."

"Ryuji might lock you away," Haru murmured, serious behind the lilting amusement in her voice.

Akira smiled, staring at his tea. It had to be lukewarm by now, but he would still finish it. "I think Yusuke would be the one to do that." He sat up straight, realizing no one at Shujin, other than Mishima, officially met Yusuke.

"Kitagawa-kun, right?" Akira's mouth snapped shut and he nodded slowly. Haru set her empty cup to the side and stretched her arms high above her head. She brought them back down and curled them around her raised knees. "I never officially met him, but he was a potential candidate for me after my second gender was revealed. Before his mother passed away, that is. My father," She smiled, a trembling curl of her lips, "didn't think he was worth the time and effort anymore."

Akira didn't think he had to point out that Yusuke and Haru had only been children when this decision was made then unmade. Such was the life of the privileged. Such was being a prisoner to your gender.

Haru's smile brightened and she leaned forward, soft curls bouncing. "I'm glad it didn't work out, though. Wouldn't want to have taken your mate away from you."

Akira bumped their shoulders together with a soft smile of his own. "Glad for that, too." 

**xxx**

Akira was grateful that his friends understood his need for privacy, but coincidental accidents were always lurking around the corner. After parting ways with Haru, he hurried home to nap. Upon waking, he freshened up and headed back into the city.

The Omega, currently a Beta under the guise of scent blockers, sat the steaming beef bowl down in front of the young man waiting for his order. As he straightened up, Akira sensed the familiar presence moments before Yusuke walked into the front door of the Beef Bowl shop. Their eyes met, and Akira greeted and welcomed his new customer.

The Alpha allocated himself to an empty spot at the counter. He called out his order shortly after perusing the menu and Akira committed it to memory. He had four more to go.

Akira saved Yusuke's bowl for last, placing it down carefully in front of the Alpha. He pulled his hands away and a small piece of paper fluttered discreetly onto the counter. **Wait for me?**

"Of course," Yusuke huffed. He smiled at the brunet standing over him before picking up his chopsticks. He snapped them apart and dove into enjoying his meal. It wasn’t homemade curry, but it was still prepared by his mate.  

Akira enjoyed watching Yusuke take his first bite, and a few more after that, before being summoned back to the other side of the counter to collect empty dishware. Friday night’s crowd was usually big, and soon Yusuke was walking out of the shop, making room for more paying customers. Akira could still sense him, a comforting presence in the back of his mind. It gave him the strength to work harder and faster.

 

At the end of his shift, the manager congratulated him and handed over his wages. Akira quickly changed back into his casual clothes, stuffing the uniform into his bag, and practically ran out of the shop. Yusuke was waiting patiently to the left of the entrance, far enough from the window that he went unseen. He grew alert when the Omega stumbled to a halt after spotting him and pushed himself away from the wall.

Akira’s smile withered away at the almost disapproving frown the Alpha wore. He sighed and adjusted his bag higher onto his shoulder. “Have I finally done something to make you upset with me?”

Yusuke didn’t respond to the question. Instead, he moved closer to Akira’s side. “Will you permit me to walk you back to Leblanc? We can talk there.”

“No. We can talk here.” Akira slipped his hands into the pockets of his jeans, rooting himself in place. _Orenobeko_ was closed for the evening; the most anyone on Central Street would do was give them a passing glance. “Talk.”

Yusuke cleared his throat and let his crossed arms fall away from his chest and to his sides. “I had some time to think about this while I waited. I also talked with Ryuji. He said he knew you were up to something and he was fine with it. I am probably the more possessive of the two of us, but if he gives you his blessings, then so will I.”

Akira’s fighting stance relaxed, his eyes wide behind his glasses.

“My only concern now,” Yusuke continued, “is how much you’re doing, in a very short period. It’s obvious there is a personal goal you wish to achieve, but I feel that communication is key.” He smiled, a tired, but warm gesture.

Akira lost some of his bluster after the Alpha finished sharing his thoughts. “You’re right,” he sighed, averting his eyes. A warm hand cupped his cheek, turning him back around. Akira gave Yusuke a lopsided grin. “I wanted it to be a surprised, but you can’t plan for a surprise, can you?” Yusuke shook his head.

“I’ll only work in the afternoon,” Akira decided, leaning into the lingering touch before pulling away. “And I’ll share my plan next weekend.” He stepped into Yusuke’s personal space, pressing their noses together. With a subtle tilt of his head, he stole a kiss from a very surprised Alpha. “Still wanna walk me home?” he hummed after stepping back.

Yusuke snapped his mouth shut, only to open it again. “I’ll walk you to the station.”

Akira freed a hand from the pocket of his jeans and held it out to Yusuke, fingers wiggling in invitation. “Let’s go.” With a soft laugh, Yusuke clasped Akira’s hand and was tugged out to the street.

* * *

Akira couldn’t pack fast enough after returning to Leblanc that afternoon. He almost tripped over Morgana in his haste to get down the stairs once the task had been completed.

"I'm tempted to send Futaba with you, but I know those two idiots won't try anything." Sojiro scratched the back of his neck with a resigned sigh. "The only thing Alpha about them is the fact they were born that way." He dropped his hand and leveled Akira with a stern glare. "Everything's gonna be different when you get back, but you still need to stay out of trouble."

Akira nodded, fingers drumming over the handle of his travel bag in restrained excitement. Summer break and his plans for it, was still a few weeks away, but the long-awaited weekend was finally here. Ryuji’s birthday. "I think I'm ready to accept the consequences."

Sojiro didn’t smile. Instead, he maintained a neutral expression that conveyed his acceptance of the unfolding situation. "Good. Now get goin'."

Akira didn't have to be told twice. He walked out of Leblanc and was met with a pouting Futaba. After he started working afternoons _and_ evenings, the young Beta would randomly appear in LeBlanc, doll head and all, to send him off. Eventually, the doll head vanished, but Futaba only showed up when the café was at its emptiest. Seeing her _outside_ was still surprising, but he was also proud of her.

With a soft whine, the redhead stepped into his space and shamelessly scent marked him to the best of her abilities.

Akira was laughing when she pulled away. "That'll hold until Monday."

Futaba stood tall, hands buried in the pocket of her oversized coat. "That's the plan! This is the last time you'll smell like you." They both knew Akira smelled like his court mates for almost two months now. Her pout widened into a playful grin. "I'm happy for you."

"I know you are. Try not to stalk my phone too much this weekend, okay?"

Futaba turned her nose up at the brunet's wink but kept a watchful eye on him until he disappeared at the end of the street. Turning sharply, she entered Leblanc with as much flourish as possible. " _Sojiro_! Curry!" 

**xxx**

Akira stopped worrying about train goers being frisky the day Yusuke growled at someone that accidentally brushed against him. That, along with the fact that he carried _two_ Alpha scents kept most at bay.

Akira exited at Shibuya station and weaved his way through the thick crowds until he could get to the residential area. The foot traffic thinned out, but the streets were still bustling. Within a few minutes, he was rounding his final corner and could see the aged building ahead. He practically bounded up to it. Akira didn't have long to wait, after ringing the doorbell, before the door slid open and a smiling Yusuke greeted him.

Yusuke looked flushed and Akira briefly wondered if he interrupted something personal. "Thank goodness. I had to fight Ryuji to answer the door. Told him it was a package being delivered."

Akira used his free hand to muffle his laughter and not alert the second Alpha.

Yusuke grinned and stepped back into the house and against the wall, making room for his guest. Once Akira was inside, he slid the door shut and slipped the overnight bag from the Omega’s shoulder. “He’s in my workroom,” Yusuke said before padding down the hall. He passed said room to disappear around the right corner.

Akira stepped out of his shoes and ambled down the hallway.

The summer heat caused a change in everyone's wardrobe. Ryuji's dress state had never made Akira bat an eye before (all lies; he had to force himself _not_ to stare back then). But now that he could touch, it was a different story. The brightly colored shirts Ryuji wore to school as a uniform had now been reduced to brightly colored tank tops. And khaki shorts. Akira stood in the open doorway and wondered why the universe hated him so.

Ryuji's face lit up, his lips widening into a grin around the popsicle he held between them. He pulled the frozen treat free to exclaim, "Akira! You made it!" He gobbled down the rest of his snack—Akira winced on Ryuji's behalf since brain freeze didn't seem to bother the Alpha. "No idea why Yusuke wouldn't let us meet you at Shibuya," the blond mumbled, his mouth still full.

Yusuke returned in time to hear the accusation. “It’s not that far,” he sighed. "And I didn't want you making a scene.”

"You _love_ when I make a scene," Ryuji argued.

“I do,” Akira chirped, earning a wider grin from the blond.

“See, Yusuke? Somebody likes me!”

Yusuke exhaled, the sound long and weary. “Akira is merely agreeing because your birthday is tomorrow. He wants you to be happy.”

Akira chuckled softly. Yusuke spoke the truth, but Akira really did enjoy when Ryuji became loud and boisterous. He was at his most innocent, and usually his happiest.

After the Alphas playful banter ceased, they gave the quiet Omega their full attention. Yusuke smiled. "We would like to take you on a date to Dome City."

Akira's eyes widened before closing behind the lenses of his glasses. He wrapped his arms around his midsection as he laughed. Yusuke knew he wasn't being laughed _at_ and waited out the Omega's fit. It was rare, for him anyway, to see this side of Akira.

"Sorry," Akira wheezed, slowly drawing himself back into an upright position. "I've been arguing with Futaba about the right date location. Since it's summer, she felt Dome City would be more appropriate. Inokashira Park was my suggestion." He grinned sheepishly. "Well, I wanted to go to Seaside Park, but that’s probably better suited for the evening. I guess she knows more than I do."

Akira was suddenly crowded by his Alphas, both tripping over their words in their haste to talk to him. He managed to put together a sentence: _we can go to the Park—any park—if that's what you want_. Akira raised a finger to his smiling lips, hiding his excitement when they both fell silent. “We can do it all, together, any time we choose. This is Ryuji’s weekend.”

Startled, now that the attention was focused on him, Ryuji floundered, arms waving uncoordinatedly. “That’s not fair! My favorite places are Tsukishima and Ogikubo.”

“Food,” the other two sighed, Akira with a roll of his eyes.

Ryuji grinned. “Exactly!”

Yusuke combed his fingers through his hair before settling his arms across his chest. “Since it’s already growing dark, maybe we can go to the Seaside Park for a romantic evening. Tomorrow, we can go to Dome City, eat at Ogikubo, and have an evening walk through Inokashira.” When only silence greeted him, the Alpha lifted his head to find his mates staring at him. Ryuji stared in wonder, while Akira look impressed. “That seems doable, yes?”

“Yes!” Ryuji closed the distance between them, his hands cupping Yusuke’s face tightly. He pulled the brunet down into an enthusiastic kiss. Akira almost felt he should be giving them their privacy. He made to do just that, but a firm grip on his arm stalled him, dragged him back. “You’re part of this, too.” Ryuji’s lips pressed against his firmly, briefly. He pulled back, grin as wide as ever. “All three of us—we’re one now!”

There was less than twenty-four hours left before it was Ryuji’s birthday. Akira wasn’t sure he could hold out until then, but he had to. This was all part of the plan. With a smile, he leaned in close enough to brush his nose against Ryuji’s. “We are.” The fingers of his right hand were laced with Yusuke’s. “We are.”

**—**

Going to Odaiba was the best thing Akira ever experienced. From the moment they left the Kitagawa home, to the moment they returned.

Akira had never seen a place so beautiful, and it was made even more so because he shared it with those that he loved. He laughed himself to tears as Ryuji chased seagulls on the beach shore, and found himself an unsuspecting subject of Yusuke’s mobile camera. The candid shots weren’t shared with him until the trio sat down for dinner.

Ryuji posing with the life-size Gundam; Akira “talking” to the replica Statue of Liberty. Along with the many shots of the Rainbow Bridge, there was even a one of all three of them staring at it, with the perfect sunset that added to the background.

“When…? How?” Akira looked from the phone to Yusuke’s proud smile. “It’s beautiful.”

“I’m going to print it and frame it.” Yusuke pulled the phone closer, staring at it almost reverently. “No idea where I’m going to hang it, but it will be treasured.”

“So sappy,” Ryuji laughed. With their positions still reminiscent of the start of their adventure, it was easy for him to pull Yusuke down for a kiss.

Akira had dutifully pointed out that going to Ogikubo or Tsukishima would result in their relationship being found out. There was still no guarantee a blurry picture or two wouldn’t end up on the Web, but that’s where Futaba’s prowess came in. Instead, they chose one of the many restaurants in Odaiba, settling for simple and affordable. They were still high school students after all. 

**xxx**

“That was the best night ever!” Ryuji exclaimed after kicking off his shoes.

Yusuke hadn’t been fast enough to close the door before his mate hollered and wouldn’t be surprised if the neighbors heard him. His plan to scoop the blond into his arms was thwarted by Akira, and the trio ended up in an awkward group hug, the blond Alpha trapped in the middle.

The execution may have been awkward, but there was no awkwardness in the entryway. Ryuji felt nothing but happiness and expressed it as loudly as his earlier exclamation. With his head tilted to the side, away from either of his mates, he gave a boisterous laugh. “That’s not fair! Teaming up against me. How am I supposed to win…” He lowered his voice, catching Akira’s eye as he leaned back against Yusuke. “…against two of the most gorgeous people I’ve ever met?”

Akira pulled away, turning his back to the pair, if only to hide the blush he felt warming his cheeks. After their friendship deepened back in middle school, Ryuji had held nothing back. But those flirtatious remarks had been in jest then. Now, they were to be taken seriously (maybe he should have taken them seriously back then, too).

Yusuke was used to his partner’s raw charm. He kept an arm around Ryuji’s chest, trapping the grinning blond against his side, and reached out to tap his free hand gently against Akira’s shoulder. “Let’s get ready for bed, shall we?”

They would be sharing a bedroom together, even if they couldn’t all fit on a futon. Hearing that made the nervous butterflies melt into something more heated; something that spread from his gut throughout the rest of his body. Yusuke’s arm tightened around Ryuji, his nostrils flaring as he scented the room. “Akira—”

Ryuji forcibly removed Yusuke’s arm, darting forward to reach the Omega’s side. He kept his distance, but leaned forward far enough so Akira could see his expression. The quick glance thrown his way revealed a pinched tightness to the blond’s face, his brow and the bridge of his nose furrowed. Rather than place a hand on him, he crossed his arms over his chest.

The deep exhalation was the start to Ryuji’s upcoming speech. “Hey, uh… I know everybody thinks I’m an idiot, so I’m probably gonna say the wrong thing here, but… I think you need new suppressants. You’re on them because you want to be, I guess. Still don’t approve of it, and I have a say now since I’m your mate, but…” Ryuji’s shoulders rose and fell in a helpless shrug, a small, hapless smile stretching his lips. “I’m not one to stand in your way. I’ve seen what you’re capable of doing when you put your mind to it.”

Akira stared back at the Alpha, expression unreadable. No one could understand the whirlwind of emotions that raged inside him. Unlike every other time Ryuji made him feel like this, Akira could finally act upon those emotions. With a soft whine, he turned towards Ryuji, backing the Alpha against the wall. “You’re not an idiot. You’re perfect!” Akira pressed his nose to Ryuji’s scent gland, inhaling deeply. “Why… am I so lucky?”

“Idiot,” Ryuji scoffed fondly. He tilted his head to give Akira easier access. “I’m the lucky one. I think it every day.” He glanced at the statue that resembled Yusuke, snickering softly. “Not some dumb Alpha, y’know. Won’t make the same mistake twice.” A shudder ripped through his body, drawing Ryuji’s attention back to the Omega pressed along his front.

Akira licked another stripe across Ryuji’s scent glands, trying to taste the ramen taste the Alpha exuded. There was a primal urge--a desire to claim and be claimed. Why was he behaving like this?

“Hey! Wai—!” Ryuji’s eyes widened before sliding shut; Akira was sucking. He freed his arms from between their bodies, wrapping them loosely around Akira’s slender waist.

Yusuke decided now would be as good a time as any to intervene.

Coffee. Akira knew immediately that it wasn't Leblanc. He wanted this taste in his mouth along with the delicious ramen. Shifting his head, he mouthed at the new taste, sucking and nibbling just as he had done previously.

The warm and heavy hand on the back of his neck was what startled the Omega out of the hazy fog clouding his senses. That area was special! He jerked away and began to panic after feeling arms wrapped around him. Akira fought against his captors, his vision blurred with bright shapes and still shadows. “Ryuji…? Yusuke!”

The arms tightened around him and the hand on the back of his neck rose to tangle itself in his hair. This was reminiscent of _that night_. The gentle touch guided him to the familiar scent of “home”. Akira felt comforted now. Slowly, he began to remember. It was Saturday, July 2nd. The day before Ryuji’s birthday. He had spent most of the day with his mates. He was with his mates and they would never let anything happen to him.

Akira blinked, repeatedly, until the dancing shapes finally took form. Yusuke stared down at him, his eyes screaming worry and concern even though his expression remained impassive. Ryuji on the other hand, wore his heart on his sleeve, and looked even more frantic as he tugged at the short strands of his dyed hair. Akira could smell the distress on them both and chuckled softly. “‘m sorry,” he hummed.

“You’re back!” Ryuji paced away in relief, returning only to yell, “What the hell just happened?” The question was not directed at Akira, but the universe.

“I have an idea,” Yusuke sighed, loosening his hold on the pliant Omega. “But it’s not worth discussing it tonight.” He briefly wondered if Akira would be opposed to the idea of being carried. He would rather not chance it and end up with an irritated Omega.

Ryuji, on the other hand, had no qualms manhandling the Omega. His hand snared Akira’s wrist and he gave a strong tug, pulling him away from Yusuke. Spinning them around, he placed both hands to Akira’s back, pushing him down the hall and to the right. “Stairs,” he announced.

Akira climbed them obediently, his head feeling clearer with every step. Was Ryuji right? Did he need new suppressants? Was that… a he—? Akira shook his head, banishing the thoughts before they completely took over. He couldn’t afford to think about that now, not while in the presence of two Alphas. His mates, he corrected. ‘ _My mates won’t hurt me_.’

Akira allowed himself to be a doll. He stood in the middle of Yusuke’s bedroom, lifting his arms and legs when prompted. He was undressed, then redressed, and finally guided to the futon. Akira sank onto the soft bedding and a tired sigh. Despite the earlier hiccup, today was great. He removed his glasses, setting them on the floor above the futon.

Ryuji dropped unceremoniously onto the futon beside him, stretching his arms outward. “G’night!”

Akira stared wide-eyed at his profile, smiling once he realized the blond had no intention of moving. On the other side of Ryuji, Yusuke was setting up another futon. The bedding was patted down and Yusuke made himself comfortable, stretching out behind Ryuji. The bliss on Ryuji’s face as he shuffled back against Yusuke’s front washed away any doubts Akira had. Location aside, this was where he belonged. With his Alphas. His mates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thank everyone that's sticking with me and this fic. It means so much, and I'm hoping you find my fail-tastic musings enjoyable *deep bow*


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